Sensible Disposal of Unwanted Medicines - New York Sea Grant

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4> Note to the InstructorThank you for taking the time to work withyouth and to help them understand and addressa very important environmental issue.Your involvement and interest in this issuehas several benefits: youth will learn aboutan emerging environmental concern andwill be working with a concerned, caringadult. This interaction has benefits for you,the youth, and the environment.Thank You!Photos courtesy of Mel Lenig, Penn High School.
So, what’s the big deal?5General Objective• Learn why the proper disposal of unused andexpired medicines is important.Specific ObjectivesYouth will learn how to:• Hypothesize about what happens to pollutantsthat are flushed down the toilet• Understand the difference between municipalsewage treatment and private sewage treatment• Use the scientific method to:– Set up an experiment– Measure experimental data– Plot/graph results– Draw conclusionsTime1.5 - 2 hoursResources neededActivityAfter a brief discussion about wastewater treatmentsystems and water contamination, youthwill hypothesize about what happens to pollutantsthat are flushed down the toilet and explorethe difference between municipal sewage treatmentand private sewage treatment. They willthen conduct a guided experiment to explore howunwanted medicines can end up in local waters.Youth will:• Learn about wastewater disposal.• Use the scientific method to study water movementthrough a porous medium.• Learn that contaminants from discarded medicineshave been found in water and soils.• Use the scientific method to study how aporous medium can remove some contaminantsfrom water, but not others.Instructions> Instructor____________Copies of Figures 1-4 (pages 6 and 8) (colorphotos are available at www.iisgcp.org/education/SafeDisposal_4H.html).Journals – These can be small spiral notebooksor bound, data-collection books. Eachstudent should have one, and they shouldbe collected after each meeting by the instructoruntil the last lesson (so they will notbe forgotten). The youth should be giventheir journals at the final meeting and encouragedto continue to use them.Copies of the Scientific Method Worksheet foreach student (page 13).Materials for filtration experiment:• 2 plastic water bottles or clear plasticdrink cups for each group• 2 bowls for each group• Porous media (solids that have an interconnectednetwork of pored filled with aliquid. Soil is a porous medium)• at least two of the following: soil, sand,gravel, aquarium gravel, marbles• Food coloring• Measuring cup• Timer (watch or clock with a second hand)Water contamination can come from manysources. These pictures (Figures 1 and 2) showsome possible agricultural and urban sources ofcontamination.• What do you notice about these pictures?• What do they show about how contaminantscan enter water sources?Possible discussion points• Figure 1 shows that water contaminantscan come from agricultural fields (pesticides,herbicides, and fertilizers), animalmanure, and malfunctioning septic systems.These contaminants can enter surfacewater (not shown) and groundwater.If contaminants enter groundwater, theycan be taken up by well pumps.• Figure 2 shows that water contaminantscan come from impervious surfaces(roads, parking lots, and roofs), lawns,and improperly disposed trash.
Page 1: A curriculum developed tohelp youth
Page 4 and 5: 2AuthorsNatalie CarrollPurdue Unive
Page 8 and 9: 6So, what’s the big deal?Crop Pro
Page 10 and 11: 8So, what’s the big deal?Soil Abs
Page 12 and 13: 10So, what’s the big deal?> Instr
Page 14: 12So, what’s the big deal?• Did
Page 17 and 18: What are the issues? 15• Youth ma
Page 19 and 20: What should I be concerned about?17
Page 21 and 22: What should I be concerned about? 1
Page 23 and 24: What are my options?21General Objec
Page 25 and 26: What are my options?23ences we want
Page 27 and 28: How can I let others know about the
Page 29 and 30: Appendix B. Unwanted Medications:A
Page 31 and 32: Appendix C. Science Standards29Nati
Page 33 and 34: Appendix C. Science Standards 31Nat
Page 35 and 36: Appendix C. Science Standards 33Ill
Page 37 and 38: Appendix C. Science Standards35Indi
Page 39 and 40: Appendix D. Background Information
Page 47 and 48: Appendix E. Poster and ExhibitGuide
Page 49 and 50: Appendix E. Poster and Exhibit Guid
Page 51 and 52: The Medicine ChestA collection of s

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