Pain in the Drain | Medicine Disposal Program

Did you know that how you dispose of your medications can have a significant impact on the environment? In the past, many people have flushed prescription, over-the-counter and veterinary medications down their toilet. Someone probably told you this was a good way to keep the medication away from children and pets. However, this is not the best method of disposal for these products.

Why Flushing is a Bad Idea
When you flush medication down your drain, it ends up at one of our treatment facilities. While these plants are designed to remove many contaminants from untreated water, they may not filter out the ingredients found in many medications. These ingredients can remain in the treated water when it is released into Lake Mead, our major source of drinking water, and harm creatures living in the lake.
When prescription or over-the-counter drugs are thrown into the garbage, or flushed down the sink or toilet, their chemical components may be added to the water supply or soil. The presence of these substances in the environment is emerging as an important national and international issue. Although the concentration levels of these products in the environment is very low, they may be enough to cause adverse effects in the environment and to human health. There are also concerns over the effects of medications ending up in drinking water sources.

Putting medications down the drain is not just a local concern. Increasingly, prescription and non-prescription medications, many of which are not effectively destroyed by sewage treatment plants, are finding their way into streams and drinking water supplies. A study conducted by the United States Geological Survey found that 80 percent of the 139 streams sampled across 30 states detected very low concentrations of chemicals commonly found in prescription drugs. While the concentration levels of these products are very low, they may be enough to cause adverse effects in the environment and to human health. More information can be found at the following links:

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm

http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf

Proper Use and Disposal of Drugs
At least once a year, go through your medicine cabinet and remove prescription drugs that are old or that you no longer take. Check the expiration dates on non-prescription drugs and remove those that are outdated as well. Periodically, check the following website to learn of medication disposal sites, and dates of collection: http://www.operationmedicinecabinetlv.org

"Operation Medicine Cabinet" is a team of several organizations and agencies who provide information and a location to drop off unused, unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications. Medications are dropped off, with no questions asked, under the supervision of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The "Medicine Disposal Program" is proud to participate in "Operation Medicine Cabinet."

If you are unable to participate in an "Operation Medicine Cabinet" collection event, placing outdated or unneeded medications in the garbage is the best way to get rid of them. When throwing away medications, follow these steps:

Step 1: Remove your personal information from the prescription container.
Step 2: Add water and absorbent material, such as cat litter, sawdust, dirt, salt, or flour, to bottles of pills before recapping to discourage unintended use.
Step 3: Tape the lid shut.
Step 4: Put the medicine container in another container, such as an empty margarine tub.
Step 5: Double enclose the container in a bag or other waste container to prevent identification of the drug, or to prevent a glass container from breaking.
Step 6: Place in the trash.