Did you know … That flushing your prescription pain meds down the toilet releases pharmaceuticals into local rivers impacting fish growth and behavior so they are unable to react to predators and contributes to the feminization of male fish?
How to properly dispose of prescription pain meds.
When was the last time you cleaned out the unused or expired prescription pain meds in your medicine cabinet?
Once a prescription pain medicine has reached its expiration date, it’s not likely to provide the treatment needed. Plus, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) states that nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time began by using a prescription drug for non-medical purposes.
Clearly you don’t want to risk leaving them lying around your home or flush them down to the toilet which negatively impacts the environment, but what are you going to do with them?
The Sublette Prevention Coalition recommends these 3 options for safe disposal and deactivation for of prescription pain meds that keep pharmaceuticals out of our waterways:
Drop Box Sites:
• Sublette County Circuit Court
• Big Piney - Marbleton Sheriff’s Office
• Altitude Drug, Pinedale
Deactivate and Dispose:
Numerous government agencies recommend disposing of medications by partially filling a small, sealable plastic bag with kitty litter, used coffee grounds or dirt, adding water, sealing the bag, and throwing it in the trash. Or use the Deterra Drug Deactivation System to deactivate and safely dispose of unused medications. Deterra is an immediate alternative to flushing or discarding medication and prevents still-potent drugs from contaminating our water supply and landfills. Deterra deactivation bags are available at no cost at Public Health, Sublette County Treatment Court office, High Country Behavioral Health and Pinedale and Big Piney Medical Clinics.
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