After more than a week of removing pharmaceuticals from the former Jaffe Drugs building in downtown Kankakee, the project is almost complete.

Midwest Environmental Consulting Services, the Chicago-based company contracted to do the work, has removed a total of 26 55-gallon drums of pharmaceuticals from the building at 218 E. Court St., as reported Tuesday at the Kankakee Regional Land Bank Authority board meeting.

The removal is ongoing. There still are six 55-gallon drums that need to be removed. There also was a pickup of narcotics by the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group as part of the project, and one more is scheduled.

Included in what was disposed of in the drums were drugs and needles, according to a report by Barbi Brewer-Watson, board secretary, via email that was relayed by board member Joe Nugent. Brewer-Watson was not able to attend the meeting.

The pharmaceuticals were removed from the basement, and cleanup of the first floor is ongoing. Cleanup of the second floor remains, and that work will begin this week, Brewer-Watson said.

“One member of the crew has done this work for 30 years and told me yesterday this is unlike anything he has experienced before,” Brewer-Watson said in the email.

In addition, one dumpster of paper and cardboard garbage has been removed from the building, and there’s still a large amount of cardboard garbage that will be hauled away. Brewer-Watson said Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis approved of the city removing the garbage at no expense to the bank, and some electronic waste will be taken to Belson Steel Center Scrap for disposal, per an agreement with the county.

Once the cleanup is completed, a written report will be submitted to the city of Kankakee. The bank has possession of the building, and it soon will put it on the market for sale.

Other items

Also to be removed from the first floor of the building are a good amount of walkers that will be donated to the two local hospitals, St. Mary’s and Riverside Medical Center.

“There’s braces, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches – all still in there,” board President Lisa Sanford said.

The board would like to see if these items could be put to use for low-income patients to help them get needed equipment if they don’t have insurance coverage.

Administrative business

The Kankakee Regional Land Bank is short one member after the Oct. 7 resignation of Matt Olszewski. The board is hopeful that his replacement can be made by the Kankakee County Board in the next month.