What should be done with medicine that is no longer needed or usable? Can you flush it, throw it in the trash, or dump it down the sink to keep it out of the wrong hands? Unfortunately, depending on the chemical makeup of the medicine, these sorts of inappropriate disposal might contaminate the water supply. This, in turn, endangers not only marine life but also human health.
Various disposal procedures have previously been proposed to assist avoid unintentional child use or to deter persons seeking opioids. Medication, on the other hand, was not designed to be removed from water by septic systems or wastewater treatment plants. Medication-related chemicals have now been discovered in streams around the country, in addition to our drinking water.
Please see the following infographic for further information on how to dispose of medicines securely.