News and Views from kSero
Are your prescriptions TOXIC WASTE?	January 6, 2008
Reviewed by Molly Reams from Scientific American, January 2008 Researchers have been finding evidence that things we have in our households are making us sick, such as the toxins found in plastic and the chemicals found in cleaners. One of the most serious threats, researchers claim, may come from our unused pharmaceuticals. Medicine disposal has become a concern because most of us flush unused pills down the toilet, sending the toxins directly into lakes and rivers. "Discarded birth control pills can trigger reproductive problems in fish, and surplus antibiotics can enhance the spread of bacteria that are resistant to the drugs." To address this problem, the American Pharmacists Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed an agreement to launch a public awareness campaign. Consumers will be advised to dispose of their unused pharmaceuticals through hazard-waste collection. If none is available in their area, the next best option is to crush and dilute pills, and place them in a sealed plastic bag in the trash or return unused prescriptions to the pharmacy. Pilot programs are in trial in California, Washington State, and Maine. Editor's note: For this reason, you need to exercise caution in eating fish from farms or rivers.