Prescription Pills in Your Drinking Water

How Do You Dispose of Unused Pills?

I just finished reading an interesting but rather short sighted article. It started out with the reference to Gore's son's arrest for speeding and drugs. The drugs were abused prescription drugs. And the statistics for the rise in abuse of prescription drugs is climbing at an alarming rate.

Besides the obvious statement that prescription drugs should be kept in a controlled environment just like a gun, there was a section on the disposal of "left over drugs".

Excuse me, but when a doctor prescribes something, you are supposed to take it all. That is one reason we now have the so-called super bugs.

The drugs for depression and ADHD are really the ones in question. These drugs give the so called normal person a high. They are readily available at schools causing the schools to make the rules so strict that a child cannot even carry an aspirin. You can lose your privilege of getting an education just because you had a headache.

My big problem with the advice in the article was about the disposal of unused and/or expired drugs.

In the past we all just flushed them down the toilet. Now we are being asked not to do that because all these drugs are getting in the water system and causing health risks.

Ok waste water is processed to a certain level of cleanliness and then used to water crops which are then eaten either by cattle, potential food, or directly by humans as produce and grain products.

Fish farms use waste water to raise fish. Scientists are seeing an increase in fish mutation such as male fish carrying eggs.

The article I read suggested that you talk to your pharmacist about a buy back program where the pharmacist would restock the pills.

Excuse me, no way. I do not want my prescription filled with pills that have been in someone else's hand. I do not believe that any pharmacy would do such a thing. The lawsuit possibilities are endless.

Now if the pharmacy returns the pills to the manufacturer for disposal ---- is that really any better.

Big Pharmaceutical companies could do a lot for their tarnished image by providing a bin for people to dump their unused/old pills (complete with bottle). I just wonder how they would safely dispose of them.

I do believe that the pharmacy should have a system in place to take those unused pills and safely dispose of them -- just like changing the oil in your car. You can't just throw the old oil in the trash you must take it to a recycle center which is usually the place where you bought your new oil.

I believe that most people just toss the bottle and the pills inside into their trash can.

Now on one hand those pills are pretty well prevented from entering the water system because of the plastic bottle which will not degrade until my great great grandchildren are around to clean up the mess. On the other hand, there is so much plastic at the dump now, there may not be any great great grandchildren.

So what is the answer for disposing of unused pills? It is not just the prescription pills but also the old aspirin and Tylenol that ends up in the trash. Do we need to change our waste water clean up to include the removal of drugs? What do you think?

until next time - smile
Sharon
(c)Answers For Your Health