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With much of the area focusing on stack emissions from local factories, another concern is surfacing, pertaining to water quality.

The federal government and Michigan organizations are teaming up to to implement procedures that could help people and facilities safely dispose of pharmaceuticals that end up in water sources. Currently the most common way to eliminate unwanted drugs is by flushing them down the toilet, which is not a safe pracrtice.

It has become such a concern Michigan Congressmen Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, and Lamar Smith, R-Texas, introduced a plan this week that would make it easier and safer to dispose of the drugs.

"Members weren't aware of the scope of the problem, Stupak said. "When we explained it to them they were shocked. It is a huge problem. For the environment and keeping them out of the hands of teens."

The proposed bill would allow places such as nursing homes to collect and dispose of narcotics from individuals, thus preventing them from being flushed down the toilet or ending up in a landfill. Health care facilities are not permitted to do so as of now.

The proposed law is receiving bi-partisan support and is moving along without a hitch, according to Stupak.

"I think the legislation will continue to move rapidly," Stupak said. "We got it moving last year, but the support seems to be stronger this time. The public awareness of the problem is also increasing."

The issue is new and not much is known about the possible effects it may have on the environment in the short or long term, but the Department of Environmental Quality is taking notice.

"I'm not sure people know across the board what kind of impact these chemicals will have," said Mike Stifler, DEQ water bureau district supervisor for the Cadillac and Gaylord area. "From a science standpoint we are at the initial starting point."

The DEQ does not currently test for specific drug levels in water, but it has noticed traces coming up on other test results.

"Right now there are no environmental standards like for mercury or other toxins," Stifler said. "We just don't have the database to be able to set any regulations at this time. Certainly putting narcotics down the toilet is not a good choice, whether it is in a septic tank or a public sewer system. Communities need to form some kind of procedure which would provide pickup and dropoff points and have them disposed of from there."

The Great Lakes Clean Water Organization, a nonprofit organization made up of volunteers, has drafted a procedure to dispose of the medicines, by recruiting the use of pharmacies as a collection point.

"We need to start a program where the pharmacist are directly involved," Great Lakes Clean Water President Chris Angel said. "The pharmacist who have responded to our survey on our web-site are very much in support."

Jim Straley, a pharmacist at Neiman's Pharmacy in Alpena sees firsthand how difficult it is for people to dispose of their drugs in a safe manner and thinks the plan being constructed by Angel and his crew would work if implemented.

"I believe we could act as an agency which gathers and controls the substance until the proper authorities could pick them up and dispose of them," Straley said. "I get about a dozen questions a week from customers who want to know what to do with their old pills. There is nothing I can do about it, because once it leaves my possession I can't take it back. I have people who have had a bag full of prescriptions and I won't take them."

In his dealings with governmental agencies, law enforcement and pharmacies Angel has noticed a common theme.

"Everybody I talk to is in agreement and there hasn't been any dispute or debate about something needed to be done," Angel said. "We are the great lakes state, maybe we can bring some awareness and lead the nation."

Straley agreed, saying his peers are also in support of implementing a disposal plan.

"I have not run across anyone who has spoke against or wouldn't be involved," Straley said. "We should share in the responsibility of helping to find a solution."

In Alpena there is really not much it's waste water treatment plant can do to disallow the harmful chemicals from escaping their sterilization process.

"There really isn't any way we can detect stuff like that coming in," Alpena Water Recycling plant Utility Manager Mike Brilinski said. "We have no control over what people flush down their toilets. We sent out a letter to educate people about the proper disposal methods. The plant may reduce a certain percentage of it, but some of it will pass through."

A number of different methods of disposal were suggested by this stories sources, but none would guarantee it wouldn't eventually impact the environment in some form.

"It seems like their is no certain means to 100 percent regard the chemicals and know for sure it won't stain the water, soil or air," Stifler said. "This is still a relatively new issue."

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via e-mail at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689.