For years, flushing – down the toilet or down the sink – was the recommended way to dispose of unused and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.Not any more, said Khalil Nuri, director of state policy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.In recent years, advanced water analysis techniques have detected pharmaceuticals in the water supply of more than 24 major cities, including Colorado Springs, said H. C. Lang, who holds degrees in biochemistry, environmental engineering and organic chemistry.Nuri and Lang spoke at the Colorado Symposium on Medications in the Water Supply held Sept. 26 at the Rampart Range campus of Pikes Peak Community College.Lang listed valium, methadone, meprobamate, carbamasepine and testosterone as some of the drugs found in Colorado Springs drinking water after treatment.The drugs were found in minute levels – one part per trillion, Lang said.The long term and accumulative effects of the drugs is unknown, especially in combination with hormones in foods, such as chicken, said an audience member.Nuri said PhRMA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Pharmacists Association have joined together to create SMARxT Disposal to educate the public on the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.Instead of flushing, pour medications into a sealable plastic bag, Nuri said. If the medication is in pill form, crush the pills or add water to dissolve them.Nuri recommended adding kitty litter, sawdust or coffee grounds to the bag to make the contents unappealing to anyone who might find it. Then seal the bag and put it in the trash.When asked if putting medications in the trash only defers the problem, Dick Brown, executive director of Colorado Recycles, said modern landfills are built to contain contamination.The practice of flushing medications down the drain has implications for the Cherokee Metropolitan District, which provides some of the water for some Falcon area developments.The district is building a new wastewater treatment facility to treat and filter wastewater through layers of sand. After filtration, the water will then recharge some of Cherokee’s wells and be used again.Kip Peterson, Cherokee’s general manager, said eliminating the flushing of medications will go a long way to solving the problem. “When you flush medications, that’s the highest level of concentration,” he said.Peterson said Cherokee’s new wastewater facility will incorporate ultra violet light into the treatment process, which will help reduce the problem.For more information on SMARxT Disposal, visit www.smarxtdisposal.net.
