The Importance of Drug Disposal in Your Home

August 8, 2023 | Ph armaceutical Waste Disposal

Prescription drug abuse is a rapidly growing problem in the United States, with a significant number of these drugs being sourced from family medicine cabinets and friends. A study revealed that 60% of males obtained opioids from friends, while nearly 60% of females acquired them from their parents. Lack of awareness about proper medication disposal is a contributing factor to this issue.

In the past, unused medications were often flushed down the drain or mixed with substances like cat litter, but these methods pose environmental risks and do not entirely prevent misuse, however most of the time unused medications just end up stockpiled in our home medicine cabinets. Fortunately, there is a solution available to render drugs irretrievable, Rx Destroyer.

Protect Your Family

Safeguarding your family is a primary concern, particularly when it comes to households with children and teenagers. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can pose significant risks for accidental or intentional misuse. Despite this, a survey conducted by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital revealed that nearly half of the parents surveyed kept unused prescription drugs at home. Moreover, four out of five parents admitted to disposing of expired over-the-counter medication. These practices expose individuals to the dangers of accidental consumption and intentional misuse, which can have severe health consequences.

Expired medications and inappropriate dosages can have detrimental effects on the development of children’s brains and bodies, with brain development continuing until the early to mid-twenties. It is crucial to understand the risks associated with these issues.

Accidental Ingestion

Accidental ingestion is a leading cause of injury mortality, particularly in households, where children are particularly vulnerable. The risks of accidental ingestion include young children accessing medications they shouldn’t have, children mistakenly taking adult-strength over-the-counter drugs, and children consuming expired medicine. Approximately 60,000 young children are rushed to the emergency room each year due to consumption of accessible medicines. To protect children, medications should be stored in a secure location with child-resistant caps, and parents or caregivers should promptly dispose of expired or unneeded medications in Rx Destroyer. Regularly checking expiration dates helps ensure timely replacement, and unused doses should be disposed of properly.

When disposing of medications, it is crucial to make them inaccessible to prevent curious children from accessing them. Using Rx Destroyer allows parents and guardians to permanently dispose of medication.

Abuse

The misuse of prescription drugs remains a significant concern in the country, despite increased awareness of the risks associated with the opioid epidemic. Teens often find these drugs in their home medicine cabinets. According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, approximately one in six teens have used prescription drugs to get high and 65% of these drugs were obtained from home or friends. However, it is not only prescription drugs that are at risk of abuse. Over-the-counter medications can be easily abused and are often readily available. A study showed that from 1990 to 1999, 38% of illicit drug use by minors involved over-the-counter medications. Contrary to popular belief, these drugs are not necessarily safer due to their easier accessibility.

Unused or expired medications should never be thrown away without taking additional steps to prevent misuse, as they can be retrieved from the garbage. Similarly, mixing drugs with an undesirable substance deters use but doesn’t make the chemical state of the drug irretrievable, making it just as unsafe for consumption as before. Rx Destroyer ensures permanent deactivation of medication, preventing abuse. When the container is full, it can be safely disposed of in ordinary household trash.

Protect Water Supplies & the Environment

Another component of drug disposal is protecting water supplies and the environment. In the past, many people would simply dispose of old and unused medications by flushing them down the drain. However, this method is dangerous to our environment. Pharmaceuticals released into drinking water supplies and the environment have become a growing concern. Unfortunately, most water treatment facilities are not equipped to remove drugs from treated water, leading to the release of medication residues into the environment and drinking water supplies. Similarly, medications thrown into the trash without prior treatment can gradually seep into the environment through landfills.

Research conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey discovered measurable amounts of one or more medications in 80% of water samples collected from 30 states. This not only negatively impacts humans but also terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.

It is essential to avoid disposing of medications down the drain. Studies have shown that activated carbon can permanently adsorb and deactivate over 99% of drugs, effectively preventing their release into the environment.

Is Rx Destroyer Safe In My Household?

The patented Rx Destroyer formula is eco-friendly and non-toxic. Once medications are added, they will quickly begin to be neutralized. The activated carbon’s unique properties and porous structure can effectively prevent drug absorption and help to eliminate already adsorbed drugs.

For households across the country, safe disposal of medicines is key to protecting vulnerable family members from dangerous drugs. Rx Destroyer is the perfect tool for safely and conveniently rendering old or unused medicines incapable of causing harm.