City Aims To Clean Up Drinking Water

CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The City of Chicago is fine tuning a program designed to keep old prescription drugs from ending up in the area’s water supply.

WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports from City Hall.

Officials say they’re harmless, but traces of pharmaceuticals have been found in Chicago’s drinking water. Alderman wants to see city residents to have a better way of disposing of their prescription drugs than flushing them down the toilet. So, the City’s getting a federal grant to create a safe disposal system.

Chicago Aldermen and City officials agree they don't want people flushing their expired prescription drugs down the toilet, and some—like North Side Alderman Marge Laurino—suggest setting up receiving boxes for old pharmaceuticals at police and fire stations.

But, city Environment Commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna says the law requires police to be around whenever controlled substances are turned in, so Fire stations are out.

But, the city is moving ahead with federally funded plans to allow residents to bring old drugs to area police headquarters, among other places.Malec-McKenna says the drugs would be rendered inert at the site, and later disposed of with other hazardous liquid waste.

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