Yes, I Guess That Would Work…
There’s an interesting new recommendation for how to dispose of old medications. Pour them into used kitty litter, bag it up and throw in the trash.
The old recommendation of flushing them down the toilet has environmental implications, as the impact of drugs in the water supply has been seen in fish.
My favorite part of the article:
“Ferret waste, like nearly any other form of pet waste, can be effectively used to help prevent the abuse of unused prescription drugs,” SAMHSA spokesman Mark Weber said.
This news delighted the American Ferret Association.
“The U.S. government declares ferret poop to be an effective weapon against drug abuse,” the group said in a statement.
That’s finding the positive! Then again, here in California you can’t keep ferrets. Guess the kitty litter will just have to do.
Of course people can still complain about the environmental impact of the plastic bag, but I’m guessing the drugs would break down before the plastic dissolves, and if you have a pet you may well be plastic bagging the litter already, so I don’t know that you can say there’s an added environmental impact. And while I could be wrong about the breakdown time of the drug, something does have to be done with old medications.
But if you want to take the time, I understand many pharmacists will take back old medications and dispose of them for you. Certainly worth asking about at your local pharmacy.
Technorati Tags: medication disposal
