Pharmaceuticals – including prescription and non-prescription drugs, steroids and hormones – are also household pollutants that are released into the environment through wastewater treatment plants and household septic systems, contaminating drinking water wells and stream base flows. A recent study of organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams included 11 sampling sites in the Croton watershed. All 11 sampled streams contained detectable levels of human pharmaceutical compounds.

Improper disposal of household hazardous wastes includes pouring them down the drain or on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some cases putting them out with the trash.

How to dispose of those unused pills ...

There are many take-back drug models being implemented across the country. New York State falls far behind many others in developing a safe and effective method for keeping pharmaceuticals out of our water supply. Riverkeeper will be engaging in dialogue at the federal, state, and local levels of government to bring safe drug disposal programs to New York State.


In the interim, however, there are new recommendations – that we endorse – to dispose of drugs in a manner that is least likely to impact our State's water:

• To properly dispose of medication, keep it in its plastic container, fill it with water and Kitty Litter or sand, place the cap on the bottle, put it into a zip lock plastic bag, then dispose of it in the trash.
  
  
• The other option for discarding medications is to take them to your local hazardous waste facility or hazardous waste clean up day location.