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August 15, 2009
Why do the medications on the list have flushing directions for disposal?
The medicines on this list of
Medicines Recommended for Disposal by Flushing are safe and effective when used as
prescribed, but they could be especially harmful to a child, pet, or anyone else if taken
accidentally. Some of the possible harmful effects include breathing difficulties or heart
problems, possibly leading to death. For these reasons, FDA advises that flushing these
medicines down the sink or toilet is currently the best way to immediately and permanently
remove the risk of harm from the home.
FDA continues to work with and encourage the manufacturers of these medicines to develop
alternative, safe disposal systems.
How should you dispose of medicines not found on the list?
Do not flush all medicines down the toilet. The FDA recommends that most medicines be
disposed of in the household trash after mixing them with some unpalatable substance
(e.g., coffee grounds) and sealing them in a container. Unused portions of medicines must
be disposed of properly to avoid harm.
Drug take-back programs for disposal can be another good way to remove unwanted or expired
medicines from the home and reduce the chance that someone may accidentally take the
medicine. Contact your city or county government's household trash and recycling service
to see if there is a take-back program in your community and if there are any rules about
which medicines can be taken back. You can also talk to your pharmacist to see if he or
she knows of other medicine disposal programs in your area.
Does flushing the medicines on the list down the toilet or sink drain pose a risk to human
health and the environment?
We are aware of recent reports that have noted trace amounts of medicines in the water
system. The majority of medicines found in the water system are a result of the body's
natural routes of drug elimination (in urine or feces). Scientists, to date, have found no
evidence of harmful effects to human health from medicines in the environment.
Disposal of these select, few medicines by flushing contributes only a small fraction of
the total amount medicine found in the water. FDA believes that any potential risk to
people and the environment from flushing this small, select list of medicines is
outweighed by the real possibility of life-threatening risks from accidental ingestion of
these medicines.
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