Welcome to CEO Corner

You may have noticed it’s been a while since we posted on LinkedIn. We’ve spent much of the last year enhancing our digital presence and amplifying our message of prevention through proper drug disposal, but there wasn’t much time to sit down and write thoughtfully about what’s happening in the prescription drug misuse and abuse prevention space.

Now, we’re excited to launch a new monthly feature exclusive to LinkedIn where I’ll share my thoughts on important drug misuse prevention topics, environmental protection efforts, highlight the work of our partner organizations and keep you up to date on relevant company news.

Speaking of company news, we’ve accomplished a lot over the last year:

• Grew our company. During the very trying health and economic times of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Verde Environmental Technologies grew our company in terms of workforce and market growth. I am very proud of our staff for their efforts during these challenging times. We continue towards our goal of safely de-risking homes of unused and unwanted pharmaceuticals to protect our families, neighbors, communities and the environment.
• Launched new plant-based pouches. Continuing our commitment to environmentally sound drug deactivation and disposal, our innovative new packaging is USDA Certified, 50% or more bio-based, and has earned the I’m green™ plastic certification. Deterra® Pouches are manufactured in a factory built to LEED® Silver sustainable building guidelines on equipment powered by 100% wind-generated electrical energy.
• Redesigned our website. In January, we debuted a new website with an updated look, added resources like case studies that highlight the successes of organizations using Deterra to prevent drug misuse, and improved navigation to make it easy to learn about our products and get in touch with us.
• Earned endorsements from CADCA and the DEA Educational Foundation. We’re proud that Deterra products are officially endorsed by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and the DEA Educational Foundation for the safe deactivation and disposal of unused medications. Deterra is the only product that either organization has ever endorsed, and we’re honored that they trust Deterra to help stop substance misuse.
• Created a Guide to Grant Funding. Grants are a critical source of funding for drug abuse prevention programs, and we’ve put together a free guide to help people access grant opportunities to fund evidence-based solutions like Deterra.

While I’m proud of the strides we’ve made, we still have a lot of work to do together. In 2020, the U.S. saw double-digit increases in drug overdoses across the country, and the trend shows little signs of slowing down. Access to safe, permanent and environmentally sound drug deactivation and disposal is more important than ever, and we hope you’ll join us in continuing to make prevention a priority in 2021 and beyond. Your input is invaluable to helping us live out our mission, so please go to our website, ask the tough questions, reach out with a topic you’d like us to address, and find out how we can work together to prevent harm to our community and the environment.