Environmental Harm of Un-USED Medications

[KathleenElsie]

I believe we have all sen the news that “flushed” or disposal of medications into the environment is harming the water supplies of million of people.

So my question is:

How do you dispose of your un-used chemicals including medications? Not just prescription but over the counter also.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I wish I could say differently. We tend to flush prescriptions down the toilet.

We do not have a collection site or pharmacy near us that collects olds meds. This might be something to bring up at a Township meeting.

 

[rwoehmke]

Its not just unused drugs, it is also the metabolites and un-metabolized portions that end up in human waste and is flushed down the toilet. The sewage treatment processes do not remove most of these things and they end up in streams, rivers, etc.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Its not just unused drugs, it is also the metabolites and un-metabolized portions that end up in human waste and is flushed down the toilet. The sewage treatment processes do not remove most of these things and they end up in streams, rivers, etc.

Yes. It does seem that the miracle of modern meds just keep on giving.

 

[aurora77]

I throw them away. I’ve never thought about flushing old meds.

 

[rayne89]

I throw them in the trash.

 

[rpp]

When my father passed away last fall, he had a rack full of medications. In addition, my mother’s doctor recently changed many of her prescriptions so my mom had many vials of unused drugs.

Some of these drug, like heart medicine, are quite hazardous.

I still have them and I am uncertain what to do with them. I would not consider flushing them in the toilet, but I do not want to put them in the trash as someone may pilfer them.

 

[Newbie2]

When my father passed away last fall, he had a rack full of medications. In addition, my mother’s doctor recently changed many of her prescriptions so my mom had many vials of unused drugs.

Some of these drug, like heart medicine, are quite hazardous.

I still have them and I am uncertain what to do with them. I would not consider flushing them in the toilet, but I do not want to put them in the trash as someone may pilfer them.

That’s a good point; in our litigious society if some kid got something out of your trash and got sick or God forbid died, guess who’s fault it would be?

 

[kms123]

When my father passed away last fall, he had a rack full of medications. In addition, my mother’s doctor recently changed many of her prescriptions so my mom had many vials of unused drugs.

Some of these drug, like heart medicine, are quite hazardous.

I still have them and I am uncertain what to do with them. I would not consider flushing them in the toilet, but I do not want to put them in the trash as someone may pilfer them.

Get your mortar and pestle and start grinding then add to coffee grounds or bacon fat then toss is garbage. If you have patches, the disposal instructions are on you patient insert. Fold sticky sides together and mix in something non obvious in garbage. Do not flush.

Or check with your State Board of Pharmacy.

 

[rpp]

Get your mortar and pestle and start grinding then add to coffee grounds or bacon fat then toss is garbage. If you have patches, the disposal instructions are on you patient insert. Fold sticky sides together and mix in something non obvious in garbage. Do not flush.

Or check with your State Board of Pharmacy.

Thank you. Good idea. (And I happen to know that you are an honest to goodness authority in this area.)