Due to the inconvenience of drop-off sites, only a small population uses such services to dispose of medications. The rest dumps them into the water system, which was once regarded as the “safe” thing to do.
When Lawrence Kenemore, Jr. was developing a container that would reduce barriers to recycling, he learned that people also wanted a safe way to dispose of their pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medications. His company, Stat-Medicament-Disposal Corporation, created a barcoded bottle that protects inserted materials from tampering. When it’s incinerated, it generates electricity and qualifies for carbon credits. Kenemore’s company employs developmentally disabled and homeless individuals to assemble the disposal bottles.
But this business had a big goal: not just to sell individual disposal bottles, but also to get entire cities to use them throughout its households. The combined efforts of an entire city could make a huge impact on the health of the local water supply.
Through his relationship with SCORE, Kenemore’s company has applied for grants and been able to present its program to cities and organizations such as local Lions Club and Kiwanis groups. “We never thought of laying the groundwork with a city by doing that, but it has now been the driver for our business model,” he says.
Stat-Medicament-Disposal Corporation was selected as one of 102 state winners in the 2017 American Small Business Championship, and was named Outstanding Green Business at the 2017 SCORE Awards.
“Get ready to take lots of notes and test the ideas from the SCORE mentor with your plan,” he advises would-be SCORE clients.
Kenemore reached out to SCORE for validation of his business plan and model. “I have attended probably 10-15 SCORE webinars and in-person meetings,” he says. “I have always picked up a piece of information that I could use and incorporate into our business from every seminar and meeting.”
Kenemore has spoken with volunteer mentor Gregg Gimlin many times, using the phone and tools like Skype along with personal meetings.
