Concerns regarding microconstituents (originating from pharmaceuticals and personal care products) persist among the public, although research to determine the effects of biosolids-borne microconstituents is still underway. Moreover, research-based regulations are likely years away. In the interim, product stewardship and pollution prevention programs (PPPs) offer an approach to minimize microconstituents entering the waste stream and maximize both biosolids quality and resource recovery potential. The “SMARxT DisposalTM” campaign was an example, created by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the program promoted environmentally protective alternatives to flushing medications or pouring them down the drain. The Product Stewardship Institute, a Boston-based non-profit group, is also promoting environmentally protective disposal, but is also working to encourage manufacturers, legislators and others to support such programs as part of a broader initiative to reduce the health and environmental impacts of a variety of consumer products.
