New York
Recipient: Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment Grant Amount: $10,000.20 Recipient Match: $7,935.00 Total Project Funding: $17,935.20 Project Area: Long Island, within the Long Island Sound Watershed, NY
Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment will: 1) set up a roundtable with Suffolk health care institutions, policymakers, and manufacturers to discuss best management practices with a focus on eliminating the unnecessary flushing of pharmaceutical drugs ultimately engaging five health care facilities in the program; 2) work with doctors’ offices and clinics to educate patients about the importance of safe disposal of unused pharmaceutical drugs; 3) promote three drug-take back days to engage the public in direct action on environmentally safe drug disposal; and 4) provide 5,000 copies of a tri-fold brochure for health facilities and patients with one unified message Don’t Flush Your Drugs. Pharmaceutical contamination is a problem across the Nation. According to a 2008 Associated Press national investigative team, pharmaceutical drugs – including antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones – have been found in the drinking water of over 41 million Americans. Because many of the drugs cannot be removed or broken down at wastewater treatment plants, these compounds are discharged into the environment. A 2010 study by a Stony Brook University investigator found a synthetic form of estrogen in birth control pills discharged into waterways are disrupting development and growth of native fish. A 2013 analysis conducted by CCFE documented that 51% of health care facilities in Suffolk County, New York are still flushing unused controlled substances—such as oxycodone, morphine, valium, etc.
Connecticut
Recipient: The Connecticut Fund for the Environment Grant Amount: $10,000 Recipient Match: $9,974 Total Project Funding: $19.974 Project Area: Coastal areas and inland waterways within the boundaries of the Long Island Sound Watershed, CT
The Connecticut Fund for the Environment, Inc. will: 1) coordinate a minimum of 50 cleanup events, including at least 35 on or around International Coastal Cleanup Day and National Estuaries Day 2014; 2) recruit a minimum of 40 Cleanup Captains to lead a minimum of 2,000 volunteers at beach cleanups; 3) engage three to five corporate partners to help build community around the issue of cleaner beaches for children and families; 4) motivate a diverse segment of volunteers, including student groups, businesses and community organizations, helping them to better understand and appreciate their connection to Long Island Sound through discussion, handouts, online messaging and active participation in beach cleanup events; 5) distribute press releases and calendar listings to traditional and online news media. Topics will focus on the harmful consequences of litter and floatable debris, with an emphasis on particular problem areas (i.e. fishing bait boxes/tackle litter, picnic trash, cigarette butts, litter from boaters, plastic bags of all kinds); and 6) communicate with members and constituents via a website and social media to share information about cleanup events and their successes.