The Hicksville Water District Board of Commissioners Karl M. Schweitzer, William Schuckmann and Nicholas Brigandi encourage Hicksville residents to safely dispose of unwanted medications. Flushing pharmaceuticals down the toilet has negative effects on Long Island’s water systems. The Board puts forth a continuous effort to follow the environmental issues impacting Hicksville’s water.
“We are committed to protecting Long Island’s water and we take our responsibilities as Commissioners very seriously,” said Hicksville Water District Chairman Karl Schweitzer. “Therefore, the Board of Commissioners has made it a priority to actively educate Hicksville residents on impactful topics such as this one.”
Pharmaceutical contamination occurs when people flush unwanted medications which make their way into surface and groundwater. Flushing expired or unwanted pharmaceuticals creates health hazards for the Long Island communities and the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recommend participating in drug take-back programs to dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals. One pharmaceutical take-back program of note is “Don’t Flush Your Drugs.” For more information on this campaign, visit www.dec.ny.gov.
“Something as simple as flushing medications down the toilet can have a negative impact on our environment,” added Chairman Schweitzer. “It’s crucial for the entire community to be aware of the proper procedure for disposing of unwanted pharmaceuticals.”
Hicksville residents are encouraged to bring unwanted pharmaceuticals to the following locations:
- King Kullen Pharmacy – 598 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714
- King Kullen Pharmacy – 3284 Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown, NY 11756
- Nassau County Police Department – 286 Wantagh Ave, Levittown, NY 11756
- NYS Troopers – Republic Airport, Talon Air, Inc., 7140 Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY 11735
As part of the Town of Oyster Bay “Stop Throwing Out Pollutants” program, residents can also bring unwanted pharmaceuticals to the following locations on the indicated dates:
- Old Bethpage Solid Waste Disposal Complex – 101 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Rd. Old Bethpage, NY 11804 – Saturday, July 25th
- Town of Oyster Bay Department of Public Works Garage, L.I.E. Exit 43 (North Service Rd. of LIE) – Saturday, August 8th
