If you are cleaning out your medicine cabinet, how should pharmaceuticals be disposed of? Depending on the chemical makeup of the drug, improper disposal could cause contamination of the local ecology. To name just two of the many things this pollution has an impact on, are human health and marine environments. This article provides some advice on how to prevent problems brought on by improper medicine disposal.
These disposal techniques had previously been suggested to stop both adults and children from unintentionally abusing opiates. On the other hand, septic systems and water treatment facilities were not built with the ability to remove pharmaceutical chemicals. It has been established that streams and drinking water around the nation contain substances connected to narcotics.
40{fec984d2719dfb0eb1c56d1f99f0555e6332b5143df3cad6b055001e82081c20} of the nation’s drinking water, which is purified by subterranean aquifers, contains pharmaceuticals. All of these compounds have been linked to a wide range of medications, such as steroid, antibiotic, antidepressant, and painkillers. Since landfill runoff can leak into surface water, disposing of pharmaceuticals in the trash could be a bad idea. What type of damage could these pollutants do to the environment? Studies have demonstrated that unused prescription drugs affect several animals, including fish and frogs, in terms of their growth, reproduction, and behavior. Contaminated seafood causes harm to both people and animals.
Additionally, these substances end up in bodies of water after being handled in wastewater treatment plants. After being exposed to different biomes, they start to change in terms of bacterial composition and nutritional value. A site’s level of microbial contamination may significantly alter results. The crops and ranches that sustain our way of life are then irrigated using the same water.
Even if huge offenders like hospitals, nursing homes, and cattle farms cannot be prevented, individuals can still make an impact. Read the entire package information for the medication first. On a booklet or leaflet, it should be noted the EPA waste code and whether the medication is flammable, corrosive, poisonous, or reactive. The FDA website also provides a list of flushable medications. Determine if it is preferable to flush or discard a drug using this information.
Any prescriptions whose validity you are doubtful of, bring to a public drug disposal site in your neighborhood or a drug disposal center. Since medications might expire and lose their efficacy, there is no reason to keep them around.
For additional information on how to properly dispose of medication, see the infographic below.