Week 46 - Don't Flush 'em!

Expired or unused medications that is! North Americans have typically disposed of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in one of two ways. We either:

1. Flush them down the toilet, or


2. Throw them in the trash.

The Problem

According to thegreenguide.com, “45% of Americans take at least one drug. When we flush old meds they":

1. Can still be active, and


2. Don’t disappear because we no longer see them.

They move on to water treatment plants, into waterways and possibly back to your tap. If they hit the waterways some really freaky things can happen. They have found gender-blended salmon (in Oregon), transgender trout (in Colorado) and bisexual bass (in the Potomac). If this happens to fish, what could this mean for people in communities where they use treated waste water for drinking water? The answer isn’t good. Generally speaking, treatment plants are not equipped to filter out that kind of contamination.

Throwing old meds in the trash isn’t the best option either, as they can contaminate not only the soil, but ground water as well.

Some Solutions

1. Some communities are setting up drug “take-back” programs at pharmacies and police stations so consumers have an alternative to flushing them and contaminating our waterways. I contacted CVS, and was told they unfortunately do not have a program in place. There are a few more drugstores in our area, which I will check out. Give your area pharmacies a call to see if they can lead you in the right direction.


2. Check out The Starfish Project at thestarfishproject.org. It’s a program run out of New York-Presbyterian Hospital which takes donations of certain meds by mail and distributes them to people in Africa.


3. Visit earth911.org and enter your zip code to find nearby drop sites.


4. Check with your local Department of Health for local disposal sites.

If you cannot find a take back program, here are the federal guidelines for drug disposal from whitehousedrugpolicy.gov:

1. Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers and throw them in the trash.


2. Mixing prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and putting them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, will further ensure the drugs are not diverted.


3. Flush prescription drugs down the toilet only if the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs doing so.

The Benefits

1. We help reduce water pollution.


2. We reduce fish contamination. This is not only important for preserving aquatic species, but as we are being told to consume more fish, we are protecting our health.


3. Ditto for our drinking water.


4. We also don’t want to forget that whether we care about the environment or not, proper disposal of medications is incredibly important if you have young children around. As a matter or fact, it’s important with teenagers around too (we’ve all heard of “pharm parties“, where older kids rifle through their parents old meds and trade them). These parties could be a myth, but are you willing to take the chance?
   

The best thing for everyone and everything (the environment, wildlife, humans) is to dispose of medications in the most safe and responsible way possible. This is a no brainer and a really simple solution to a variety of potential problems!