Don’t Mess with Texas! Dispose of Medications Properly Presenter: ENACTUS Team Wayland Baptist University Education Chair: Nelda VanHoose Texas Extension Education Association

Outline of Today’s Presentation Impact of improper medication disposal on the environment Personal actions to ensure proper medication disposal Raising awareness for a “Take Back” event in your community Wayland Baptist University’s Enactus Team “Take Back”

Medications are Important Medicines play an important role in treating many conditions and diseases When no longer needed, it’s important to dispose of them properly to avoid harm to others and the environment

“The improper disposal of unused medications by flushing them or pouring them down the drain may be harmful to fish, wildlife and their habitats.” - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

It’s All Connected! In homes that use septic tanks, prescription and over-the-counter drugs flushed down the toilet can leach into the ground and seep into ground water. In cities and towns where residences are connected to wastewater treatment plants, prescription and over-the-counter drugs poured down the sink or flushed down the toilet can pass through the treatment system and enter rivers and lakes. They may flow downstream to serve as sources for community drinking water supplies. Water treatment plants are generally not equipped to routinely remove medicines. The moral of the story: It’s All Connected! Image Credit: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/ppcp/upload/ppcpflyer.pdf

Community Take Back Events An established time and place with authorized representatives to take back and dispose of unused drugs See if such an event already exists in your community Contact your city or county government Contact your local law enforcement Contact a local pharmacy, hospital or clinic Contact the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/offices_n_dirs/fielddiv/index.html

Raise Awareness for a Take Back Event Consult with “DEA Registered” professionals Practitioners Pharmacists Consult with the DEA Some medications are “controlled substances” which may be illegal to possess without authorization Consult with local government and law enforcement Consult with groups in other areas already doing take back events Highlight models for successful events http://www.medicationcleanout.com

Disposing at Home Remove medications from original container Do not crush or break pills Mix with an undesired substance Cat litter Coffee grounds Place in a sealable container Zip-top bag Butter tub Mark out any personally identifiable information on the pill bottle Place all items in the trash Source and Image Credit: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf

Resources for Proper Medication Disposal http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/ppcp/upload/ppcpflyer.pdf

What About My Sharps? Used needles and other “sharps” can be dangerous Treat all “sharps” as if they are “infected” Don’t Put needles in the garbage Flush needles down the toilet Do Dispose of sharps in an approved container Contact City or county government to identify appropriate disposal sites Local pharmacy or hospital to see if they can dispose

Resource for Proper Sharps Disposal http://www.epa.gov/wastes/nonhaz/industrial/medical/med-home.pdf

Medication Drop Off

Drug Drop Off

Drug Drop Off

New Option for Getting Rid of Old Drugs http://n.pr/1uGhCyB The Drug Enforcement Administration is loosening up its rules so that people will have more ways of disposing of drugs that can be risky to keep around after they're no longer needed. New disposal options could also alleviate environmental concerns that crop up when people put their old drugs in the toilet or the garbage.