DON'T throw those old pills down the toilet!

William Atkins
Wednesday, 11 April 2007 07:13

Science - Health

According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA, headquartered in Washington, D.C., http://www.phrma.org/), about three to seven percent of prescribed medicines are unused. Previously, pharmacy groups recommended flushing them down the toilet so that pets and children would not be harmed by pills left around the home.

However, it has been shown that so many pills have been flushed down the toilet that it has been proven to cause reproductive problems in fish and to make some germs more resistant to certain drugs.

Therefore, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA, Washington, D.C., http://www.aphanet.org/) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS, Washington D.C., http://www.fws.gov/) are beginning an educational program called SMARxT Disposal in order to publicize the better way to dispose of pills: through municipal hazardous-waste-collection programs or, at least, in the trash.

Sam D. Hamilton, Southeastern Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states: “Medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown straight into the garbage can and do find their way into our nation’s waterways every day. Those drugs are present in water that supports many species of fish and other wildlife. We are concerned about reports of fish abnormalities possibly caused by improperly disposed prescription medications. That’s why we are excited about this new partnership with the Association [APhA] and its ability to educate the public about simple things they can do to clean up our waters and help prevent fish, and people, from inadvertent exposure to prescription medication.”

However, before disposing of these pills, the SMARxT campaign will ask consumers to crush solid pills and dissolve them into water (the same goes for liquid medication), mix them with sawdust, kitty litter, or other material that absorbs dissolved medications (so they will not be eaten by children and pets), and then place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag. (Please note that some narcotics will still be recommended flushed down the toilet.) Then check to see if area hazardous waste facilities, local and state collection programs, or community pharmacies will take the mixture. If nothing is available, it is recommended to throw the properly prepared mixture away in the trash.

The partnership between the APhA and the FWS are hoping that eventually a nation-wide program would be set up where people could take all unused pills to their local pharmacist for proper disposal.

For additional information on the SMARxT Disposal campaign read the March 17, 2007 article “Improper Disposal of Unused Medication Sparks Creation of New Awareness Program: Initiative to Focus on Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Improper Disposal” at: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2007/r07-050.html.