Disposal of Old Meds

surely take them back to the pharmacist? that is what we are told to do here in Australia (you're not the pharmacist are you?)

Dear All

Here in New York State, the disposal of medications in more environmentally friendly ways is just beginning to be discussed in the solid waste management community. One of the barriers to conducting collection programs that will keep meds out of landfills is that the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Conservation have to get on the same page. Not an easy task to accomplish. It seems that the end result of these collections is that the meds will go to one incinerator or another. So if a community already depends on an incinerator, the disposal by individuals in the trash may be the path of least resistance AND the best way to go. For those communities that depend on landfills, it's probably not the best solution. However, one other barrier is that the landfill folks will reassure people in public statements that their systems will never fail....

Marjorie Torelli

Western Finger Lakes
Solid Waste Management Authority
Lyons, NY

This is from our client (the Recycling Council of British Columbia). You may wish to investigate whether Colorado has a similar program, or would be willing to set one up.

Norm Ruttan
iWasteNot Systems
www.iwastenotsystems.com
1-800-630-7864

Over 90% of pharmacies in British Columbia participate in the Medications Return Program, a take back system for old prescription & non-prescription medicine. Participating pharmacies collect expired, unused and unwanted medications from the public for free and safe disposal. The Medications Return Program is administered by the Residuals Management Association on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry. Visit www.medicationsreturn.ca to find a drop-off location near you, or call the RCBC Recycling Hotline.

Another helpful resource is the website for a smart disposal campaign coordinated by Joe Starinchak at the US Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.smarxtdisposal.net/ Here are suggestions from the site: DO NOT FLUSH unused medications and DO NOT POUR them down a sink or drain. Be Proactive and Dispose of Unused Medication In Household Trash. When discarding unused medications, ensure you protect children and pets from potentially negative effects:

-Pour medication into a sealable plastic bag. If medication is a solid (pill, liquid capsule, etc.), crush it or add water to dissolve it.

-Add kitty litter, sawdust, coffee grounds (or any material that mixes with the medication and makes it less appealing for pets and children to eat) to the plastic bag.

-Seal the plastic bag and put it in the trash.

-Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal information (prescription label) from all medication containers before recycling them or throwing them away. Check for Approved State and Local Collection Programs. Another option is to check for approved state and local collection alternatives such as community based household hazardous waste collection programs. In certain states, you may be able to take your unused medications to your community pharmacy or other location for disposal. Consult your pharmacist with any questions.

Waste pharmaceuticals often enter either the solid waste system or sewage system. Neither disposal method is environmentally sound. Wastewater (sewage) treatment plants are not designed to treat for pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals discarded in landfills can seep into the surrounding water table. In Ontario we can return our unused meds to the pharmacy for proper disposal (as haz waste).

Jessica Happl, A. Sc. T.

County of Oxford
Woodstock, ON
[email protected]

Joanie,

The problem with disposing of meds in a landfill is that rain and other liquid seep through the landfills and degrade materials (granted - very slowly). These liquids are then sucked out of the landfill and become known as "leachate." The leachate is treated to clean it to EPA standards before being allowed to be released into freshwater systems (streams, rivers, etc.). Just as meds make it through the sewer treatment plants that clean water before releasing it, so will meds make it through leachate treatment systems. The EPA has only recently changed its guidelines for medication disposal and many doctors and pharmacies are not even aware of the new disposal standards. Bottom line, medications should not be flushed or placed in the garbage. Your fourth option (minus the bio portion) is the best. A household hazardous waste collection program or a medication take-back program is what you want to find. Through these programs, the medications are incinerated as hazardous waste with a appropriate air pollution controls. Some police departments are offering pharmaceutical take-back programs, contact your local police, fire, pharmacy and solid waste organizations (city and county). Also try your regional EPA office. Illinois only recently began our programs, but they are growing and more are beginning throughout the United States. We have a pamphlet on-line to educate our residents about the issue and options. You can view it at: http://willcountylanduse.com/WasteServ/Pharm%20Take-Back%20Program%20Expanded.pdf

Marta Keane,

Recycling Program Specialist
Will County Land Use 
Waste Services
58 E. Clinton Street, Suite 500
Joliet, IL 60432
815-774-4343
[email protected]

The following text is from a 2007 U.S. gov't press release aimed to prevent illicit use of unused/old drugs and also protect the environment. One of the best options is a pharmaceutical take-back program (our state is working on this -- see www.oracwa.org , and I've heard these programs are already in place in some U.S. cities and throughout Europe and Canada).

*Mix the prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, like used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, further ensuring that the drugs are not diverted or accidentally ingested by children or pets (see full text at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/news/press07/022007.html )

Jacqueline Fern

Drinking Water Protection Specialist
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
1102 Lincoln Street - Suite 210
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 686-7898

All,

Interestingly, not captured yet in this discussion is any suggestion of following the social marketing path back a little further and looking at what causes the concerns around disposal of medications in the first place. We are increasingly and seriously over-medicated thanks to the efforts of pharmaceutical companies pushing their products to medical practitioners and us, the "public at large". Further, stresses on our medical community due to shortage of time to reasonably and realistically get to the root causes of perceived and real illnesses adds to the over medicated problem. The simple solution; take a pill and (all too often) simply mask the symptoms. Yes, there are some real needs for medicating, but many will argue on what that real level might be. Health and social agencies are beginning to recognize environmental links far more readily and this issue - disposal of unneeded/unused meds is one more where environmental groups can and should be saying "here's what happens" and working hard at creating solid partnerships with health agencies to alleviate the problem. At the individual level we can make a difference: arm yourself with more knowledge about various illnesses, question the need for medications, explore all your alternatives and refuse if you aren't convinced. All that on top of the foundation of living a clean and healthy lifestyle that includes active transportation, fresh, local and organic foods, avoidance of EMR and more of course!

Judy Gilchrist,

Program Manager
Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation
The Gate House,
13990 Dufferin Street North
King City, Ontario L7B 1B3
905-833-5733 ext 23
www.moraineforlife.org