Tip Tuesday: Reduce Pharmaceuticals in Water

Have you ever really thought about it? What happens to your medication when you dispose of it? I know I’ve done it myself, flushed away some pills I knew I was never going to use again, thinking I was helping instead of throwing them in the garbage. Well, you’re wrong and so was I. These Pharmaceuticals in Water that were disposing of every day down the drain are actually ending up in our drinking water. There is such an abundance of these drugs being wasted that unfortunately small trace amounts are being leaked into the water systems where we get our drinking water.

Here are the stats for what people do with their leftover/expired pills:

• 45 percent: Throw out with the trash
• 28 percent: Flush down toilet/pour down the sink
• 12 percent: Store at home
• 5 percent: Return to the pharmacy
• 5 percent: Take to hazardous waste center
  

  How We Can Reduce Pharmaceuticals in Water

We’ve created this tip Tuesday for your own personal use at home, take these tips into consideration to help limit the number of drugs that we are consuming without realization. Let’s turn those stats upside down!

 Reduce the Use 

This may seem obvious but limit your use of toiletries, cosmetics, and drugs. I’m sure you’ve heard “not all bugs need drugs”. Try some natural remedies for that headache you keep having or for muscle pain. If you’re a woman and you’re on the pill, try opting for a more eco-friendly version. There are so many options out there right now!

Only purchase products that are phthalate-free. If you’re concerned about ingredients it never hurts to contact the manufacturer.

As well, if you’re a meat eater try to change over to organic which will reduce your intake of more hormones and antibiotics.

Dispose Safely 

This may seem simple but you’d be surprised at the number of people who do this. DO NOT dispose of unused and expired medications down your sink/toilet/garbage. Instead, return these drugs to your pharmacist who will dispose of them properly.

For Canadians use this site to find the closest place to take your prescriptions. For Americans, find more info on the subject here.

Educate your friends and family so that they do the same.

Take Action

Educate yourself and the people around you about medication take back programs in your area. You can also contact manufacturers and insist on federally mandated drug labeling that tells consumers how to properly dispose of anything that is unused.

Since this topic is so little talked about just make sure you do your best to educate the people around you.

 Buy a Filter!

In order to make sure you’re not consuming these small amounts of pharmaceuticals in water, check out various filtration options for your water inside and outside your home.

Many filter companies are working on being able to reduce pharmaceuticals in water. Check out Swift Green Filters product line for your filtration needs! we provide all kinds of water filtration services.