University of the Incarnate Word, Feik School of Pharmacy
February 21, 2013
Buhler, Amanda; Cooper, Wesley; Dinh, Giang P.; Giang, Thomas; Lee, Ga “Steven”; Mireles, Damian; Nguyen, Dan; Olumba, Alfred; Wagner, Andrew
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There have been numerous studies with supporting evidence displaying a risk to human
health. This is due to the exposure of pharmaceutical ingredients to the soil and water
which has devastating impacts on wild life.1,3,5,9,10,11,12
“When drugs are flushed, they can enter the soil, surface water and ground water. If
other options are available, such as medication collection programs, those should be
utilized to ensure safe disposal. However, some medications have specific disposal
instructions that indicate they should be flushed. A current list can be obtained at the
FDA website, www.fda.gov.” 1,3,4,6
Medications that are stored or disposed of improperly can also cause problems. Such as
injury or overdose. Children and teens can get these medications and take them. Or, people
can take them out of your trash if they are not disposed of properly 2, 11
• 71,000 children under 18 are treated for unintentional overdose in emergency
rooms each year in the United States.11
• More than 3/5 teens claim that prescription pain relievers are easy to get from
parents’ medicine cabinet & more than or equal to 50% of teens say it is easy to
get them from somewhere else. 11
• Teens (ages 12-17) are the 2nd highest age group for prescription drug abuse after
young adults (ages 18-25). 11
• “Drug overdose deaths increased for the 11th consecutive year in 2010. (38,329
people died of drug overdoses in the United States…About ¾ of these deaths
were accidental. Just 17% of overdoses were suicides.)”8
Anyone can participate in safe medication disposal. However, people who have been
commonly using common unsafe disposal practices should consider changing the way
they get rid of medications to reduce the environmental impact. 3,5, 9,11, 12
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DisposeMyMeds: Dispose old medications by dropping them off in San Antonio, Texas at
the 3 pharmacies that participate (Davila Pharmacy, Carvajal’s Pharmacy, Strickland
Drugs). You can also find a closer participating location by visiting
www.disposemymeds.org. 1,6, 11,12
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MedDropSA: a free, safe way to dispose of medications sponsored by SAWS, San
Antonio Police Department, and City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management
Department. Visit www.MedDropSa.com for upcoming times and locations within San
Antonio. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with state and local
law enforcement agencies, conduct National Prescription Drug Take Back Days across the
country. 6,9
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Take-Away Program: Several pharmacies participate in the TakeAway Environmental
Return System that provides a secure, convenient solution for proper disposal. A
postage paid envelope is purchased at participating pharmacies, providing a proven
method for treatment and processing of unused medications. (Note: No Controlled
Substances, No Sharps, No Thermometers, No Medical equipment (HBC &DME), liquids
must be in a paper towel and sealed in a plastic bag before places in container). 5,6,7
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DEA Drug Take Back Days: Take back your medications on specified dates and to
designated locations for “safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal.” 2,6
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Follow proper garbage disposal: If you do not have access to any of these disposal
programs, then follow the below instructions:
• 1: Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers. 2: Mix drugs
with an undesirable substance. 3: Put the mixture into a disposable container
with a lid. 4: Conceal or remove any personal information (including the Rx
number). 5: Place in the trash. 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12
Common Wrong Disposal Practices 5
7%
2% 2%
Garbage
Toilet or Sink
35%
54%
Did Not Dispose
Used All
Medication
Returned to
Pharmacy
1. "Dispose My Meds | Find a Pharmacy near You Participating in Safe Disposal Programs." Dispose My Meds | Find a Pharmacy near You Participating in Safe
Disposal Programs. NCPA, 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
2. "Drug Disposal - National Take-Back Initiative." Drug Disposal - National Take-Back Initiative. Drug Enforcement Administration, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
3. FDA. How to Dispose of Unused Meds. N.p.: FDA, n.d. FDA For Consumers. FDA, Apr. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. <www.fda.gov/consumer>.
4. "For Consumers." How to Dispose of Unused Medicines. US Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
5. Glassmeyer, Susan T., Elizabeth K. Hinchey, Susan E. Boehme, Christian G. Daughton, Ilene S. Ruhoy, Octavia Conerly, Rebecca L. Daniels, Lisa Lauer, Meg
McCarthy, and Todd G. Nettesheim. "Disposal Practices for Unwanted Residential Medications in the United
States☆." Environment International 35.3 (2009): 566-72. Print.
6. "H.R. 1191 (111th): Safe Drug Disposal Act of 2009." GovTrack.us. Civic Impulse, LLC, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
7. "IPA - Take Away." IPA - Take Away. Iowa Pharmacy Association, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
8. Jones, Christopher M., PharmD, Karin A. Mack, PhD, and Leonard J. Paulozzi, MD. "Pharmaceutical Overdose Deaths, United States, 2010." JAMA: The
Journal of the American Medical Association 309.7 (2013): 657-59. Print.
9. "MedDropSA." MedDropSA. San Antonio Water System, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. <http://www.saws.org/meddropsa/>.
10. Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara, and Howard S. Weinberg. "Meeting Report: Pharmaceuticals in Water—An Interdisciplinary Approach to a Public Health
Challenge." Environmental Health Perspectives 118.7 (2010): 1016-020. Print.
11. "Safe Disposal of Medications Could Save Lives." Dispose My Meds. NCPA, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
12. "Unsafe Disposal Affects Both You and the Environment." Dispose My Meds. NCPA, 2012. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.