what liabilities are placed upon them should someone scavenge their medications from the trash. What to do is a query that many citizens ask themselves but are not provided an answer on the bottle.Some communities have established prescription redistribution centers where you can turn in your unused meds and they are given out to the needy. These programs however are proving to be more of a problem than solution. Outdated medications, lessened potency, and having newer treatments available are just some of the concerns needing to be addressed by the medical community. Currently, there are not any medication reuse opportunities in Oregon.
The answer to the question may not be simple, but it is clear. DO NOT flush you medications. There are communities around the USA that can measure medications volumes in their water table! Flushed medications do not really go away. The best answer is to discard your unused medications in the trash. They will go to the landfill and be secure from entering our water systems. There is zero liability upon the waste generator for your discarded meds. However, some people feel more comfortable crushing the pills before discarding them.
In regards to private information, simply remove labels from containers or mark them in a way so they cannot be read. Then recycle the container with the rest of your plastics or glass as the case may be. Our partners in recycling are careful to protect that material once it enters their ownership. The important thing to remember is to protect our community by disposing of unused medications properly.
By recycling our materials through the opportunities that abound, you can save money and our precious natural resources and energy. If you want to know more about waste reduction, contact me today. Together we can Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and Trash Douglas County Less!
Article seen as published in the North County News as part of a regular "Talkin' Trash" column.
Posts
