HOW CAN I HELP: Prescription Medications

What's the Problem?

Unwanted and expired medicine may be a risk to human health and the environment if disposed of improperly.

Traditionally, expired or unwanted prescriptions or over-the-counter medicine from households were disposed of by flushing them down the toilet or pouring then down the drain.

DO NOT FLUSH! This method of disposal is now discouraged.

Keeping prescription and over-the-counter medicines out of the environment is an important way to prevent pollution. After being flushed or poured down a drain, many medicines pass through sewer and septic systems. Because these systems cannot always treat or remove the medicines, they may end up in streams, lakes and rivers.

This can cause adverse effects in fish and other aquatic wildlife as well as unintentional human exposure to chemicals the medications.

The Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) has created a fact sheet about the proper disposal of unwanted medications. Click here to learn more.

Information provided by the Water Environment Association of South Carolina, Journal of Summer 2009.