Leftover Meds Better Pooper-Scooped Than Flushed

Health officials are asking people who use any kind of medication, from over-the-counter cough medicines to high powered pain killers, to find another way to dispose of unused meds. Kitty litter is suggested, or coffee grounds, even doggie poop or anything that would make the drugs less than easy to fall into the wrong hands.

The Associated Press article quotes a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration spokesman, who says these meds are not to be taken lightly, and the problem is growing. I recall being told to flush the meds down the toilet, and we did that, but it’s proven to be the wrong solution for disposal. Antibiotics, according to the article, and hormones are being found in waterways along with other drugs, raising questions about public health and environmental factors.

Some take-back programs have been initiated in several communities, and thousands of pharmacists will be handing out fliers with their prescriptions, informing users of the dangers associated with flushing or just leaving the unused meds in a cabinet or drawer. Anyone, including children, who has access to a person’s home could potentially walk away with the drugs, exposing themselves to serious health consequences.

So, for now, keep a sealable plastic bag on hand, fill it with whatever you can find, even the yukkie stuff, and dispose of your unused medicines in a safer manner. And even with those precautions, health officials are concerned about the thousands of tons of medications entering landfills and sewage disposal plants, seeping into groundwater and streams.

Carol J. Boyd, director of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research and Gender, stresses that the public needs to know of the dangers associated with random disposal of unused drugs. She’s quoted as saying, “What’s not easy is, we don’t know if it’s working.”