From: Ian blenkharn@ianblenkharn.com
Category: News & information
Date: 25 Aug 2008
Time: 11:57:26 +0200
Remote Name: 86.146.8.18
A flurry of excitement from US, with claims of the collection of huge volumes of pills and other medications during the one-day 'Operation Safe Medicine Cabinet'.
It is actually quite a common occurrence in US, with town or country initiatives to collect a range of wastes that might otherwise get dumped, co-disposed with domestic refuse, or hoarded. Pharmaceutical wastes including POMs and OTC products, household chemicals and a range of other hazardous household wastes are generally accepted.
With care, such initiatives can deliver huge success. Engaging children builds for the future. Community safety is enhanced, with vast potential improvement in environmental quality.
Though such initiatives would be ideal in the UK also, those responsible would be likely to take a sharp intake of breath, mutter about costs and liabilities, and fall foul of a complex and rather obstructive legislative framework.
I did last year engage a City politician who was prepared to consider this. Though plans were outlined, it was an appalling tragedy that his motivation was primarily to advance party politics before anything else.
What a great pity that politicians take this attitude and seek to hijack good ideas that could have such great benefits.