Lifestyle

Going Green: Medications and our water supply don't mix

Going Green
Bill Goss
Published: October 28, 2009

One area of environmental concern not often addressed is the increasing frequency of pharmaceuticals entering our public water as well as our lakes, rivers and streams. As the baby boomer population continues to age and more prescriptions are written, the number of people regularly taking medications increases, and so does the risk of unused, unneeded and expired medication being incorrectly disposed of.

This is a risk that, if addressed now with preventative measures, could easily be halted from becoming a future problem. The old method of flushing unused medications down the toilet is not environmentally or medically responsible and should be avoided, unless specifically instructed on the label or accompanying information.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Web site, "Many drugs are not degraded by the wastewater treatment process or in a septic system, and, consequently, are released into the environment. The exceptions to this rule are the medications that the Food and Drug Administration advises to be flushed down the toilet instead of thrown in the trash because of their high abuse potential." These medications are typically any that are narcotics/controlled substances. For a complete list, visit www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/ppcpedc.htm.

So, if flushing isn't recommended, what should you do with unused medication? The first step should always be to reduce the amount of medication you are being prescribed. If you find you often have extra medication or end up with expired medication, ask your physician to reduce the number of pills you are prescribed, eliminating the need to find a way to dispose of them (and probably saving you money on your prescription costs).

Your local pharmacy may have a take-back program. Rowley Pharmacy on Main Street, for example, will take back unused prescribed medications if they were purchased there. When picking up a prescription, especially one for a controlled substance, at any pharmacy, ask the pharmacist if you can return any unused drugs for proper disposal.

Communities often have take-back programs where you can dispose of expired or unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter medications in one location. Seabrook Police Department started what is the first drug drop box in New Hampshire last month at the police station off Centennial Street for unused prescription and over-the-counter medications. The drop box accepts drugs from anywhere.

Household hazardous waste collections are another disposal option. According to Joe Ferson, spokesman for the DEP, the downside to these types of collections is that they either cannot accept narcotics/controlled substances because local citizen volunteers should not be responsible for drugs that have street value and could get into the wrong hands, or law enforcement officers must be hired for the collections to maintain control over the drugs, resulting in increased costs to the community.

If you can't find a way to return unused drugs, follow these guidelines from the Office of National Drug Control Policy:

Remove prescription drugs from their original containers.

Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.

Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealed bag.

Conceal or remove any personal information, including prescription numbers, on the empty containers by covering them with black permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching them off.

Place the sealed containers with the mixture, and the empty drug containers, in the trash.

Why is it so important to properly dispose of unused medication and not flush them away? According to Ferson and Michael Hutcheson, who oversees air and water toxics at DEP's Office of Research and Standards, pharmaceuticals that have been properly thrown out do not enter waterways because household trash is taken to either landfills or incinerators. Landfills have systems in place that prevent runoff of contaminants, and burning eliminates any risks.

Pharmaceuticals in our water is considered an "emerging contaminant," as scientists continue to study the possible impact of this type of pollution. There are two major studies being done in Massachusetts, at the University of Massachusetts and U.S. Geological Survey, that are evaluating the impact of medications in our water.

Water samples taken downstream from wastewater treatment plants around the country as well as from surface waters have found low levels of pharmaceutical compounds. So far, the concentrations found in the samples don't seem high enough to pose adverse effects for humans, but the concentrations are too high for aquatic organisms. Some of the most concerning compounds are those resulting from hormone and hormone-mimic drugs, which have been found to disrupt sexual development in aquatic life.

Some may say that since the levels don't seem to be posing a threat now, why worry? Because we have a chance to be proactive and take care of this through individual responsibility and making good choices now that may very well reduce severe problems in the future. Because we don't know what the outcomes could be of increasing the concentration of pharmaceuticals in our waterways.

With prescription numbers continuing to rise, we need to follow good habits now. It is much easier to keep pharmaceuticals out of the water than to try to remove them after a problem is discovered. And keeping your prescriptions out of the hands of people who may not be responsible with them should always be a priority.

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Bill Goss is the owner of Quality Systems Consulting Group in Amesbury. His Web site is www.merrimackvalleygreen.com. If you have any questions regarding Going Green, send them to merrimackvalleygreen@comcast.net and he will answer them in upcoming columns.