World Wisdom: Unused Medications

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Prescription and over the counter medication is needed to help resolve an array of infections, headaches, and other illnesses but what do you do once those medications are no longer needed or have expired? While some minor traces of medication are flushed into lakes and rivers naturally as it passes through our bodies, some consumers make matters worse by voluntarily flushing bottles of old medications down the toilet. This is why antibiotics, hormones, and other pharmaceuticals can be found in the water supply of more than 41 million Americans, reports show.

Medications that are thrown in the trash can be equally as harmful since they can end up in landfills where animals can consume them or be exposed to small children or pharmaceutical abusers. These medications can also potentially harm natural plant life.

Fortunately there are some eco-safe ways that you can dispose of your unwanted medication properly so that you can reduce the number of negative side effects.

Participate in Take-Back Programs

Like the name suggest, medicine take-back programs require consumers to take back (i.e. return) their medications to participating locations for proper government-regulated disposal, usually via high temperature incineration. Typically pharmacies and law enforcement facilities will have active take-back programs all year long. Here, consumers can administer over-the-counter and prescription medicines (controlled substances may or may not be accepted) in designated drop boxes. You can also contact your city's Public Works department or recycling center to see if they can direct you to a take-back program closer to your community. Remember to strip off any identifying information on prescription pill bottles for safety reasons before you donate your expired medications.

Contact Local Hospitals, Urgent Care Facilities

If a take-back program does not exist in your community—which can easily happen since funding for permanent or temporary take-back programs is not always available—then you can try to contact your local hospital and see if they'll properly dispose of your old medication. All hospitals and medical centers are required to have bio hazard containers specifically designed to store old medications and other hazardous supplies like needles that will later be incinerated. These places should gladly take them free of charge.

If your local hospital does not accept your expired medication, you can contact your local trash service. It might have a separate waste facility that will incinerate the medications for you. Do note that most trash facilities do charge a small fee for their medicine-disposing services.

Dilute Potency of Medications

If all of the options fall through and you have no choice but to throw your medications in the trash, then at the very least you can try and degrade the medication's potency before you dispose of it. For example, liquid medication should be mixed with sawdust or flour. Pills should be mixed with kitty litter or coffee grounds for the same effect and to make it seems less appealing to animals. It might also be a good idea to put all contents—including medications and kitty litter for example—in an air tight bag so that it doesn’t risk spilling out during transport to the landfill.

Brenda Watson is a freelance writer for healthinsurancequotes.org. She specializes in diet, nutrition, and medicine safety. She welcomes your comments.