Have you ever wondered whether it was safe pour unused prescription cold medicine down the sink or to flush expired antihistamines down the toilet?
As it turns out, there are federal guidelines that have been developed to help keep families safe from accidental poisoning and to help properly dispose of unused or expired medicines once and for all.
Here is some crucial information to help you decide what to do with your family’s expired or unused medication. But remember, when disposing of medications, it’s always important to look at the container first—some medicines have specific disposal recommendations printed on the bottle.
Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless information on the medicine’s container specifically instructs you to do so. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the medications in this list should all be flushed down the toilet because FDA and drug’s manufacturer have determined that flushing the medicine poses the least risk to safety.
For most medications, FDA recommends first taking the medicine out of the original container and mixing it with an inedible substance like coffee grounds, sand or kitty litter—this helps keep the medication from being appealing or recognizable to children.
Then, place the medicine/inedible substance mixture in a sealable bag to keep the medication from leaking or spilling out and place the sealable bag in the trash, underneath at least the top layer of trash if possible.
Asthma or breathing inhalers can pose environmental issues when it comes to disposal, depending on the type of inhaler and where you live. Inhalers may be thrown into the trash or recycled, but they could also be considered hazardous waste and require special disposal.
If you’re still unsure about the proper way to dispose of medicine, many communities offer drug take-back programs that allow people to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal. Your city’s household trash and recycling service is a great place to start to find out if a recycling program is available in your area.
Learning how to properly dispose of medication is a key component to keeping your family safe at home, following these medication disposal safety recommendations will get you off to a great start in protection your family from unintentional poisoning at home.
Think you know all of your home poison risks? Learn more about poisoning prevention and check back for more articles on the latest home safety news.
*Content expressed in Home Security Source does not represent the thoughts and opinions of ADT Security Services, Inc. unless explicitly indicated.