So, you opened your medicine cabinet and an avalanche of pill bottles, ointment tubes, and partially used packages of gelcaps came clattering out? I'm not just talking about Metamucil, or that ointment you bought when you blew an ass gasket. I mean those unfinished antibiotics (contrary to the doctor's instructions) and sticky bottles of over-the-counter cough syrups, not to mention an assortment of capsules, tablets, caplets, and gelcaps. And those that are not expired are for ailments long since cured. They're cluttering your shelves because you don't know what to do with them.
Getting Rid of Medicine
Assess the expired medicines situation. You have unused prescriptions and expired OTC medicines that you don't know how to throw away. I do NOT recommend my colleague's advice of taking them all at once. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests pharmaceutical take-back programs that will safely dispose of unused or expired medicines. Your local pharmacies or government offices can tell you if such a program exists in your area.
Gather the expired medication. If your medicine cabinet looks anything like mine, you should probably take this opportunity to straighten it out. The oldest prescription I found in my medicine cabinet had expired in March 2003. Can you beat that? Some unused drugs and expired medicines in your cabinet can go directly into the toilet (more on that below). Separate out those that can be flushed from the ones you need to dispose of in the trash.
Collect the necessary supplies for disposing of expired medicine. Once you've determined there isn't a drug take-back program in your area, it's time to dispose of the medications that cannot be flushed. First, you'll need something to contain the expired drugs. An empty coffee can, plastic bag, or plastic container will work perfectly, as long as it can be sealed. It all depends on what you have on hand. If it's an old food container, make sure it's cleaned well, so as to not entice a pet or child before you get a chance to take out the trash. You'll also need coffee grounds or cat litter—basically whatever gross stuff you have around your house that you'd be throwing out anyway.
Place the expired medication in the container. Mix the expired medicine with the coffee grounds, kitty litter, or what have you. Hopefully your pet or child or neighborhood druggie will steer clear of this concoction. It is time to seal the container. A heavy tape, like packing tape or duct tape, would work well to ensure that the container stays sealed, both while still in your possession or in the landfill. Just tape the heck out of the container.
Place the sealed container of medicines in the household trash. If your child or pet is prone to digging in the trash, take the garbage to the trash chute, outdoor trash barrel, or dumpster. Dust off your palms with a sense of accomplishment.
Keeping Expired Medicine Out of the Water Supply
The FDA recommends flushing certain drugs that are particularly harmful, possibly even fatal, if one dose is used by someone other than the prescribed patient. The FDA's website has a comprehensive list of recommended flushable drugs.
Pharmaceutical take-back programs are designed to keep prescription drugs out of the hands of all but the intended patient. In 2009, about 6 of every 10 teens agreed that sneaking prescription drugs from a parent's medicine cabinet was easy. Setting aside the intelligence factor behind the decision of taking someone else's medication, if you have kids around, disposing of unused drugs quickly can eliminate a potentially heartbreaking situation.
Safely disposing of unused and expired drugs is good for the environment, from the water we drink to the people who drink it. Tests have found trace levels of pharmaceuticals in rivers and streams and municipal water supplies. They run the spectrum from antidepressants to birth control to heavy painkillers. Drugs in the water supply affect the entire ecosystem, from plants and animals, to you and me. By following the steps outlined above, you'll help to contain the potential threat via the water supply.
