tsquared

What to do with old meds
Feb. 14, 2007 (NBC) -- It's a problem that affects most of us and it has environmental officials "very concerned." What to do with old medicines. How do you dispose of them?

Everyone has ideas but no one is certain about the right thing to do. Maybe that's because everyone from pill counters up to the environmental officials can't agree on what to do. And it's becoming a growing problem.

One thing every agency and official agrees on is that you should never flush your medicine down the toilet.

Researchers say because people are doing that, scientists testing our rivers, lakes and streams are finding everything from aspirin, estrogen to Zoloft there.

Experts at Harvard say you shouldn't throw your drugs in the trash either. Kids and pets can get to them there. And eventually they leak out of landfills into the ground water and back into rivers and streams.

So how about giving them back to your pharmacy? Will that work?

"No. Once medication is dispensed we're not supposed to take it back," said Rich Jackson, pharmacist. "We have no means to dispose of them."

So if your pills pile up -- if they expire -- what are you supposed to do? The E.P.A. recommends that you mix your meds with coffee grounds or kitty litter then put the mix in an impermeable plastic bag before throwing it away so it won't leak out.

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freeby4me

So you just need to carefully throw them away LOL OK Thanx for the heads up Tom!!

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MistyWolf

I just pitch mine in the toilet or the trash and will continue doing so .. lol .. I personally don't think they harm the lakes and rivers and such like they are claiming.

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janelle

One year our pharmacies gave out coupons for old meds. I took mine. I thought they had a special way to dispose of them like burning them in a safe container but after that they didn't do it. I called a pharmacy to find out what to do and they said to flush them.

I took a survey asking me how I discard them and I told them I flush since my pharmacy didn't seem to care about the lakes.

stresseater

I dispose of mine orally.

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YankeeMary

Hehe...good one!!!

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buttrfli

We aren't sposed to sell them?

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Tasha405

LMAO!!

I just throw mine in the trash.

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killbarney

I HATE wasting anything like that. I'll try to find someone who has a scrip already and give it to them.

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Jolie Rouge

Isn't this a contradiction ?

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MOM2B2003

Considering that refers to the E.P.A., I would not expect anything otherwise! LOL....but I won't even get started!

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