Fund For Lake Michigan

Take Back My Meds Milwaukee 2020

  • Grant Recipient: Community Advocates
  • Amount: $125,000
  • Year: 2020
  • Watershed: Kinnickinnic River, Menomonee River, Milwaukee River
  • Focus Area: Education/Outreach

Roughly one third of any prescription goes unused and less than 10% of that medicine is ever collected and disposed of properly. Unused medications left in the house have been found to start or feed addictions. Medicine flushed down the toilet flows directly to Lake Michigan, as wastewater treatment plants are unable to treat it. Medicine thrown in the trash leach into rivers from landfills. Take Back My Meds Milwaukee combats this emerging contaminant by providing secure drop boxes to dispose of unused medicines. This funding will expand their efforts into Racine County and will continue its Milwaukee-based public education campaign. 

A press conference discussing the Take Back My Meds Milwaukee project
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