BLOG OF iECYCLE

I hope you recycle wh­enever you can. However, there are some things that just should not be recycled. For example, prescription and over the counter drugs…how do you dispose of those? For many years, conventional wisdom dictated that outdated or unused medicines should be flushed down the toilet. This practice was recommended because it guaranteed that no one would be able to find and consume the medication by accident. Since ingestion of medications is a major cause of poisoning in small children, safe disposal is important.  But the concept of protecting our children needs to go beyond the walls of our homes; protecting the earth needs to be considered part of protecting our children.

Medicines that are put down a drain or flushed down the toilet wind up in water. How does this happen? Sewage treatment plants and septic systems are not designed or equipped to remove these products from the waste stream, so they become part of the effluent, or treated outflow, and end up in groundwater aquifers, rivers, or lakes.

Scientists are discovering a wide variety of biological abnormalities in aquatic organisms; many of these have been linked to the presence of hormones, antibiotics, and other drugs that find their way into the water. This is obviously a concern from an environmental standpoint, but it’s also personal, as our drinking water comes from these same aquifers and rivers. Protecting water protects us along with the fish and the frogs.

Waste-water treatment processes need to be improved to deal with the end products of medications that pass through our bodies, but that will take time and major infrastructure investments. In the meantime, consumers can avoid adding extra chemicals to the wastewater stream by not flushing medications.

So how should you dispose of those outdated drugs? In some areas pharmacies are implementing take-back programs, where drugs are disposed of in batches; why not call your local pharmacy and ask? If no disposal program is available in your area, you can do it yourself. First, remove medications from their prescription bottles. As desperate as it sounds, there are people who search dumpsters and landfills looking for drugs to ingest in search of a high; the color and shape of the bottles tends to make them stand out visually. Put the medicine in a plastic bag or alternate container, such as a yogurt container. If the medicine is in tablet or capsule form, first add just enough water to dissolve it. Then add an absorbent material to soak up the liquid and reduce the possibility of leaks. This absorber should also make the final mixture as unappetizing as possible: kitty litter, coffee grounds, or used tea bags are good possible choices. Then close or bag the container and put it in the trash. Remember, all the little things add up, so do your part and dispose of drugs properly.