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Let's Talk Trash: Don't flush medicine

It is time to debunk the myth that flushing old medications down the toilet is the responsible thing to do. If instinct has told you to toss outdated medication down the drain, you are not alone. There is, however, a much better option.
Let's Talk Trash
PRESCRIPTION RETURNS: More than 90 per cent of pharmacies in BC participate in the provincial Medications Return Program, a producer-paid program that allows consumers to easily dispose of expired or unused prescription medicine rather than flushing it down a toilet or tossing it in a garbage can. Contributed photo

It is time to debunk the myth that flushing old medications down the toilet is the responsible thing to do. If instinct has told you to toss outdated medication down the drain, you are not alone.

There is, however, a much better option.

When pills and vitamins enter our waterways, contrary to popular belief, they are not filtered out at wastewater treatment plants. Fish and other marine life are being overdosed without ever filling a prescription. Ultimately, this can mean we are exposed to pharmaceuticals as they make their way up the food chain and onto our plate.

You may have heard that medications are making their way into our drinking water through human waste via wastewater treatment plants. From this perspective, it is no longer hard to imagine how tablets and liquid medications entering our sewage water directly are even more persistent.

Fortunately, we have another option than the drain or garbage can. The provincial Medications Return Program is a producer-paid program that takes unused or outdated prescription and non-prescription medicine. With more than 90 per cent of BC pharmacies onboard, participation should be a snap.

The program covers all over-the-counter medications, natural health products that are ingested, such as vitamins and minerals, traditional Chinese medicines, herbal products, probiotics, amino acids and homeopathic medicines. Simply bring them to a participating pharmacy for free disposal.

Pill bottles are not part of the program and can be recycled in curbside bins or at any recycling depot. To go the extra mile, empty all pill bottles and blister-packed pills into a ziplock bag for easier disposal by pharmacists.

Squeeze tubes or medication in liquid form should remain in its original packaging. Once collected, these medications are dealt with as hazardous waste and incinerated.

With BC’s population approaching five million, our collective bathroom cabinets could amount to an oceanic overdose. Let’s take advantage of this free, convenient program that is not available in many other places in the world.

Let’s Talk Trash is Powell River Regional District’s waste-management education program.