Three-Fourths of All Drugs Get Tossed. Who Cares Where They Go?
The short answer is, no one.
Every day, pills and potions are being dispensed all over the world, controlled for the most part by laws and regulations. But once they are dispensed, that’s it. No one, it appears, is responsible for ensuring proper and safe disposal of medications when longer wanted or needed.
As a result, many people just don’t know what to do with medications and end up sending three-fourths of all unwanted drugs into the trash, sink or toilet. But these disposal methods can potentially deadly effects, both to other people and to the environment.
Some pharmacies do run take-back programs for their customers, but what is really needed is some form of a national take-back program that is well publicized and utilized.
That’s the aim of the National Association of Counties (NACo) (the nation’s largest local government organization) who, with the assistance of the Product Policy Institute (PPI), recently put forth a policy resolution supporting “producer responsibility” for unwanted medicines.
The resolution, created to address the twin issues of public and environmental safety, wants the pharmaceutical industry cover costs for the collection, transportation and hazardous waste disposal of all unwanted medications.
The chances of pharmaceutical companies warming to the idea, however, appear slim. Previously, mainly local attempts resulted in opposition from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which would rather see more education about proper disposal methods rather than a take-back program sure to cut into the bottom line.
According to PhRMA, unwanted medications can be disposed of in the household trash but should first be put into a sealed plastic bag. The medications should be crushed or diluted with water and mixed with kitty litter, sawdust or coffee grounds to make it less appealing to pets or kids. And the medication should never be flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink.
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1 Comment
August 27th, 2009 at 9:33 am
When it come to assigning responsibility one has only to look at the definition of a Corporation to realize that expecting more from these folks is like pissing in the wind and hoping that warm feeling is friendship! By definition corporations have one immediate and legally binding responsibility and that is to attain highest ROI possible for share-holders! This reigns above all else as was proven when Ford Motor Company sold “fire-bomb” Pinto cars to unsuspecting Americans, burned them alive, and paid off insurance claims because it was cheaper than changing models, thus defending stock-holders ROI! Morality was never questioned, or punished, clearly they did fill their legal mandate! To the share-holder! This is America! Planned obsolescence in products is considered good business! not Shylocking by Schlock-meisters! now that the big capital of America has fled to the Asian markets and the “Yuan” a more stable currency and virtually deflation-proof, by government over-printing, and the dirty trickster capitalists of America are directing the Asian show with their money/influence, expect the phrase “Caveat Emptor” to take on a whole new meaning! Walmart now peddles vitamins, drugs and pills of all sorts from China, Why should American Pharmaceuticals be responsible anyway?
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