General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDo you throw away your old/unused meds in the toilet? Quit it! the meds are getting into
the water supply.
I always throw them in the trash. What do you do?
NMDemDist2
(49,313 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)into the sewage system.
But I at least give them a chance to do something with toxic chemical waste.
nenagh
(1,925 posts)at least here in Ontario... that is what the pharmacies do...
Lucy Goosey
(2,940 posts)Beaverhausen
(24,470 posts)I heard the urine or ammonia or whatever breaks them down.
enlightenment
(8,830 posts)Must go google . . .
lunatica
(53,410 posts)They said the water would destroy them.
FSogol
(45,484 posts)Is there a better way to dispose of them?
libodem
(19,288 posts)I used to help dump tons of pills into the toilet. As a nurse we destroyed old narcs like that.
I taught assistance with meds to lay people and part of the course was how to get rid of expired or unneeded pills. No more flushing. Pharmacies are not supposed to take stuff back. You can put them in used cat litter or coffee grounds to throw them out.
They have disposal barrels at some police stations.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Get a ziploc bag full of clay cat litter. Pour your liquid pharmaceuticals into the bag of litter. Seal and toss into the trash.
If it's pills rather than liquid we dissolve them in tap water and then dispose as for liquids.
If it's injectable vitamins or other things not really pharmaceutical-ish, they can just go down the drain. I evaluate everything on a case by case basis and don't leave the decision to staff, because I am the one with the chemistry and pharmacy education.
lpbk2713
(42,757 posts)Drop em off, prescription and OTC. No questions asked.
Jane Austin
(9,199 posts)Not only a huge waste of expensive meds, but morphine and Atavan in Lake Austin?
Yikes.
JohnnyRingo
(18,628 posts)Growing up, I myself could have aptly been nicknamed "Medical Waste". LOL
...More on topic, I personally, have never disposed of a pain pill, antibiotic, or muscle relaxer. Just because they're outdated doesn't mean they turn into poison, and you never know when you'll need them again.
Thank goodness a friend had a left-over bottle of ABs and inhalers last spring when I came down with an irritating lung infection. I can't afford to go to the doctor everytime I get sick, and self medication is often necessary. I got through it, and I'm fine.
GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)you are dosing yourself with a full course of viable antibiotics? You could wind up with a resistant infection otherwise.
JohnnyRingo
(18,628 posts)I'm not a doctor, but after a lifetime of recreational drug use, I'm a living PDR.
I've learned not to abuse, and understand the perils of antibiotic overuse. I've only used them a few times in my relatively long life, and only when there's no apparent recourse. When taking drugs that aren't prescribed, research is key.
Contrary to popular belief, doctors aren't scientific wizards. They do a lot of guesswork as well. Just ask any personal injury attorney.
GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)convince yourself you have everything! (I do that, anyway. LOL)
GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)Aristus
(66,328 posts)We dispose of expired meds properly.
cali
(114,904 posts)recently. I dumped a few morphine tablets down the toilet.
I think that's the only time I've ever done that.