Pollution / Waste Management

Hazardous Waste Collection:

In the River des Peres Watershed, anything you flush down the drain can end up in the river. (see the discussion on "Our Pollution"). Reduce pollution by properly disposing of your household hazardous waste and prescription pills.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection

This is also true of medicine. A study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) published in 2002 sampled 139 streams across 30 states and found that 80 percent had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids, reproductive hormones, and their by-products. (Kolpin, D.W., Furlong, E.T., Meyer, M.T., et al. Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in U.S. Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance. Environmental Science and Technology. 2002. 36, 1202-1211.). Learn where you can properly dispose of drugs from the "Got Drugs?" Drug Enforcement Agency drug take-back initiative.
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov

St. Louisans should celebrate. Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS), St. Louis College of Pharmacy (COP), and Schnucks Markets, Inc. and many others including former River des Peres Watershed Coalition members conducted a major pilot study to determine the effectiveness and participation of a drug takeback program in 2008. 892 participants kept 296,650 medications (including over 50,000 controlled substances) from improper disposal. Feel free to read more here: repository/documents/education/110423_Disposal_St Louis ARCHS_EPA_technical_report.pdf

Report water quality problems:

Missouri Department of Natural Resources
10805 Sunset Office Drive Suite 100 St. Louis, MO 63127 (314)301-7100
OR
Missouri Department of Natural Resources Code and Enforcement Section
573-751-1911

Report sewage spills:

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
(314) 768-6260 OR
St. Louis County Health Department
(314) 854-6000

Report fish kills:

The Missouri Department of Conservation
(636) 441-4554