Must Read: Avoid keeping old drugs and prevent new health problems

Prescription medication “take-back” programmes are increasingly promoted as a way to safely dispose of unused drugs, but they are no better for the environment than simply throwing old drugs in the
trash, a new study suggests.
When researchers used a complicated methodology called “comparative life cycle assessment” to estimate the environmental impact of flushing, incinerating, and trashing old medications, they found little difference between burning the drugs — which is what most take-back programs do — and having them end up in the landfill.
Drugs worth millions go unused each year and there are serious concerns that antibiotic and hormone medications pose a threat to general health and wellbeing.
While most of these concerns involve flushed waste that contains residues of used medications, unused drugs may also be finding their way into the nation’s water supply.
Some unused drugs should be trashed. Take-back initiatives typically involve the collection of unused drugs by participating pharmacies for incineration with other medical wastes.
Skerlos, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan, says these programs may actually be worse for the environment than throwing drugs in the trash due to the greenhouse gases produced by transporting and burning the medications.
If there are no disposal instructions given on the drug label or patient information sheet, the FDA recommends throwing away some prescriptions by:
First mixing them with an unpalatable substance such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds, Placing the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag, and disposing of the bag with other household wastes.
However, there is one big exception to this recommendation.
Medications that are especially harmful and could potentially be deadly if taken accidentally should not be put in the trash. Instead, they should be flushed down the toilet or sink to eliminate any chance that a child or pet will find them, the FDA says.
These drugs include powerful pain relievers and other drugs that are widely abused like methadone, morphine, OxyContin, and Percocet.
Of special concern are powerful narcotics delivered by patch, such as the drug fentanyl.


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