Showing posts with label disposal of old prescription medication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disposal of old prescription medication. Show all posts

Friday, May 14, 2010

Thinking Green


Michelle has decided to have a weekly Thinking Green post, to be published at any time during the week.

Just a brief one. I was watching TV today and saw a short piece on the fact that the State of Delaware is having a day when everyone can bring all of their old, unwanted prescription medications to designated sites to be disposed of. I think this is a really super idea.

Dumping old medications into toilet or trash is really dangerous. It can contaminate our water supply. I'm pretty sure most of us at one time or another has been guilty of doing this, without thinking. Of course they can be taken to hospitals or some drug stores for disposal, but that just isn't done that often.

Wouldn't it be a great idea if all states, or municipalities would have such a day to clean out our medicine chests? They could do it once a month, or at least every so often, and our drinking water would be a lot safer. And we wouldn't be tempted to use old, out-dated meds from time to time.
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Lily has asked in her comment how we can dispose of meds safely ourselves.

We are told that we can mix them into kitty litter or coffee grounds, and put them into a sealed container in the trash. Personally, I don't understand how even that makes them safe, but that is what the experts tell us. I do not know how they are treated by the authorities after we return them to drug stores, etc. I'll have to investigate that.