Flushing medicines a bad idea

[Warlord]

I was listening to an environmental segment on NPR today. They were talking about not flushing most medications down the drain. Researchers are finding the various medicines in the water supply in minute amounts (parts per trillion). They have found them in fish caught by local waste treatment plants. This does make kim's idea of raising catfish in rainbarrels sound even better if not safer. I believe that the drugs can be filtered through a reverse osmosis process. I also believe they said that most waste treatment facilities are not so equiped. They did describe a rather lengthy way to package the meds so they could be sent out with the trash. I know that most people wouldn't take the time involved to do this. Much easier to pitch in the trash or flush it down I'm afraid. :(

[shebear]

For the life of me, I don't understand why the pharmaceutical companies aren't responsible for disposing of them. They made them, they should deal with the waste.

However, the pollution problem may not be from disposing of the drugs. It seems OUR waste may be the culprit. They have been finding high levels of female hormones in rivers for years and it comes from women using the pill and menopausal treatments.

Just goes to show........fix one thing, something else breaks.

[MoniDew]

I've been hearing things like this for a long while (I used to work in natural health). I feel that drugs in the environment are a serious detriment to human health!

Trying not to be too indelicate here, but, what ends up in the water table comes from human waste. After drugs pass through a human system, having been processed by the liver, we end up with what are known as "intermediates," which are often more toxic and dangerous than the original drug!

Not to mention the entire issue of "taking" a drug that was prescribed to SOMEONE ELSE.

The ubiquitous use of antibiotics is a major concern. We wipe out bacteria without realizing the necessity of their role in human digestion. Bacteria play a vital environmental role as well. Nature is all about balance. If bacteria are wiped out, fungi, viruses, etc have the playground to themselves and overgrow. Without bacteria, decomposition would never occur (digestive, environmental, you name it.) The planet would have become unlivable a millennial ago, from the corpses of the dead piling up!

Biggest issue to me is the hormones being released into the environment. Namely, the males of ALL species are diminishing in number. MEN, take note here! The feminization of all species is making males have lower sperm count, even completely infertile. That is leading to a decline in birth rates across all species and even vanishing species all over the planet. And cancer rates are through the roof! (both men and women, but men have a 50/50 shot at getting cancer at some point during their lifetime, women 1/3.)

Long story made short: FILTER YOUR WATER with the best filter you can afford! And eliminate all sources of unnecessary drugs (dietary/environmental, etc.) Chief concerns are hormones and antibiotics.

(For the record - I am extremely ANTI-DRUG. I don't take painkillers, even Tylenol, nor do I take antibiotics, preferring to treat a minor infection naturopathically. I take no hormones although I am nearly 50 yrs old.)

[ecogirl]

People flush medicines?!?!?!

[MoniDew]

They do so in 2 ways.

1) The have half a bottle left and they no longer take that medication and want to dispose of it.

2) They have it in their system when they use the restroom.

[gardengirl72]

Thanks Monica. Great info!