Pill Waste- How Our Medicine is Destroying the Environment and Posing a Risk to Our Health

All across the United States are hospital's, nursing homes and other care facilities that dispose of unused medications on a daily basis. Literally millions of pounds are disposed of. Sadly though, these medications are not being disposed of properly and usually are destined to be flushed down the toilet. This act, the disposing of pill waste into water, is introducing hazardous waste directly into our water supply. It is destroying our environment and may be detrimental to human health.

A study conducted in 2002 by the United States Geological Survey showed that 80% of streams across the US are polluted with pill waste. There are also trace amounts found in municipal water sources. The effects of contaminated water on humans is not yet know. However, itt has adverse effects in fish and their reproductive organs.

For many this is a wake up call. Though many more people are seemingly in the dark over the issue.

It is extremely disturbing that it is a known fact that incineration of medication has little effect on the environment. So why is it standard practice to flush unused medication down the drain? Whose responsibility is to deal with this issue? The pharmaceutical companies? The institutions disposing of them? Someone must be held accountable!

The EPA has recommended that drug companies limit how much pill waste that is directly put into the water supply. Yet the problem is far from being resolved and pharmaceutical companies are not following or encorcing the recommended guidelines.

It is a gray area as far as legislature goes as there are currently no regulations put in place at a national level in the United States.

The Good News

The good news is that global trends have introduced the advent of drug disposal and return companies. Canada, Australia, France and Italy all have programs in place for disposing of medicine that can pose an environmental health risk. The Untied States is slowly following suit and many states are pushing for legislature on the issue. California introduced the Medicinal Waste Management Act (MWMA) and many states are following. There are several large medicine return companies in the Untied States. The demand is growing rapidly as our population ages and grows.

Converting Pill Waste Into Energy

Amazingly enough there is a way to convert pill waste into energy!

The Milwaukee based company called Capital Returns has been doing just this for a few years now. 6.5 pounds of pills can be converted into enough energy to power over 200 homes.

One has to wonder if it's possible to convert pill waste into energy ,why it is not a more widespread practice? Currently only 1% of drugs are returned in the United States. We have a long way to go.

Even ridding your medicine cabinet of expired or unused drugs is creating household hazardous waste. This is a real problem. Not to mention the majority of pill waste is perfectly usable medication. We are talking solely about expired medicine! It is a shame and a slap in the face to all of those who can't afford medicine in this country and around the world. Not to mention posing a grave risk to our environment. It seems as if there has to be a better solution of reusing discarded medication. Let's hope the trend continues of studying this issue and working on alternative solutions of the disposal of unused medication.