I have a stash of medications that need to be disposed of...any suggestions? I know that flushing down the toilet was done years ago, but no longer acceptable.

When did that change and why? I'm still flushing mine. I've put so much morphine/opiates down the toilet lately the fish must be rocked.

This is an interesting question- unfortunately it is 9:30 pm Sat. nite here and I can't call my pharmacist to ask, nor the septic system folks, nor the water treatment plant. But it is worth getting some good information on the "proper ways to dispose" abecause all of us have that "stuff" to deal with. Amy

Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality has a brochure stating that the best ways are (a) to dispose of them in a Household Hazardous Waste collection program if one is available or (b) put them in your regular trash collection for disposal in a landfill. The brochure has suggestions for packaging them so that reuse is made much more difficult, if not impossible.

The brochure notes that prescription drugs can interfere with the activity of the bacteria used to break down substances in wastewater treatment plants.

Some cities have sponsored programs, in conjuction with pharmacies, where unused drugs can be dropped off for safe disposal.

Thanks, Leslie, since we are on a septic system at our house, I have been stockpiling drugs that did not work for John and atrying to figure out what to do with them. I think the landfill disposal method is best [I guess] altho my grandson did a science project last year on landfill problems [which got honerable mention statewide] and now I am queasy about that. I guess we could just put all the drugs in a bank lockbox and pay for a 100 yr. renewal. Amy

Check with your phamacist. I think they will dispose of them for you.

Landfills and flushing will get them into the environment and that is a bad thing.

Jerry

The January AARP bulletin contained an article on just this problem and the fish 'being rocked' by all the drugs being dumped. It stated that 80% of our wateways are polluted by presciption drugs. They also did an article a couple of months ago on a guy who wants to set up redistribution centers for unused drugs for folks who have no drug coverage. Sounds like a plan to me. I order drugs for 90 days, but then if my dosage changes, I'm stuck with this partial unused prescription. I'd love to donate it so it could be used by someone who needs it.

Anyway, they suggested if you could not return to pharmacy and had to dispose of in landfill, to remove name from bottle, add small amount of water to pills or flour to liquid meds, so someone couldn't take it. Put the med bottle in a paper bag or container to conceal it and toss as close to garbage pick up as possible. I don't like the idea of this crap in landfills either because that leaches into water also.

I'd love to see a pill recycle program take place. It is such a waste to throw these out. But if you must, DON'T FLUSH DOWN TOILET.

Take care,
Eileen

About two years ago in Wisconsin, they passed "Nick's Law" which set up a method to drop off unopened or blister packed medications and supplies for redistribution to those who need them but can't aford them. I believe it mirrored a program in Ohio. You might check with your local ACA rep to see if there is a program like it in your state. here's a link to an old story about it http://www.cancer.org/docroot/COM/c...tory_Program__Nicks_Law.asp?sitearea=COM

Good Health,

Chuck

Good Information!! Good topic. Amy