To Flush or Not to Flush...
By Julie Johnson, MA
You decide to tackle the clutter in your bathroom. (It’s a good idea to do this at least once a year.) You boldly head to the medicine cabinet and are confronted by tiny brown bottles of prescription medication and boxes of over the counter pills. Is any of it expired? A prescription you no longer take? Unfinished antibiotics? You determine what needs to go, but have you stopped to think about what will happen to the drugs once you discard them? Medications improperly disposed of may cause adverse effects to environment, animals, and humans. According to Harvard Health, scientists are finding “everything from aspirin to Zoloft in our rivers.” The long-term effects are still being studied, but here are some things to think about.
Improper Disposal can Lead to Adverse Side Effects
DOWN THE TOILET?
* Gets into water system and the ocean (which cannot be good for our finned-friends).
* Hazardous to sanitation workers (It’s a dirty job as it is!)
* With a septic tank, it gets into the ground water & can disrupt the bacteria levels. |
IN THE TRASH?
* It can be accidentally ingested by people or animals. (Read: kids and pets, as well as strangers & wildlife.)
* It can be stolen and taken intentionally.
* It can contaminate ground water & soil. |
KEEP IT?
* It increases the risk of taking the wrong or ineffective medicine.
* It could be taken accidentally. (Childproof tops are more child-resistant and do little to keep out a dog.)
* It could be stolen and taken intentionally. |
Ready to discard... NOW what?
You’re getting organized and you know what you want to discard, so you’re not going to keep it. So, there you are poised between the trashcan and the toilet; what do you do?
TO FLUSH OR NOT TO FLUSH?
Definitely, not to flush; that is the answer. The FDA currently has a short list of what is considered safe to flush, but scientists are still unsure of the long term effects.
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TOSS IN TRASH?
* Keep in original container. (Remove any personal identification.)
* Render them unusable by mixing in glue, cat litter, or the like.
* Seal in airtight container and conceal in paper bag.
* Toss in trash as close to pick-up day as possible. |
DROP OFF SITES?
Many cities have household hazardous waste drop off sites for: prescription and OTC medications, and personal care & cleaning products. (Round up your dead batteries, CFL lightbulbs, electronics, and take those too!) For controlled substances (including codeine, phenobarbitol, and anabolic steroids), see the trash suggestion, since they are not accepted at these drop-off sites. |
Where to drop off your expired prescription drugs
in the Los Angeles area: |
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Due to regulations and possible harmful side effects, there is no legal recycling program for left over prescription medication. In some places like Canada, they have take-back programs, where medications can be dropped off at pharmacies, doctor offices, and hospitals. Here in Los Angeles, I have only found that Kaiser-Permanente will take back unused medications, from their patients only. Check in your local area to see what’s available.
If you have OTC medication, personal care products, or cleaning products that are still good, but no longer needed, consider passing them on to friends or neighbors who could use them.
Sources: “Prescription Drug Disposal,” Harvard Health Publications
Unwanted Meds- Present Danger, Earth911.org
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Whitehouse Drug Policy
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