Medications in the Environment

What’s the Problem?

Medications have been detected at low but environmentally significant levels in the streams, lakes and other tributary surface waters that flow into Puget Sound. Scientists are beginning to link medicine contaminants in surface water to biological effects of the hormone systems of hundreds of freshwater, estuarine and marine species. These medicines enter the environment through several different pathways, including intentional disposal to sewers and landfills. In addition to the environmental concerns, there are safety concerns about accidental poisoning and drug abuse connected to improper storage and disposal of medications. 

What’s the Take-Back Solution?

Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation (WCRC) is working with a coalition of government and private sector partners to develop a Medication Take-Back Pilot Program to provide environmentally protective return options for unwanted household medicines at select pharmacies in Washington State. We want to make unwanted medicines as easy to return as they are to purchase. And we found that people will be willing to participate. In January 2006, WCRC commissioned a survey of residents in King County that found that 80% of respondents are likely to return their unwanted medicines to their local pharmacy if a secure drop box were set up there for this purpose. 

Through the Medication Take-Back Pilot Program, residents will be able to return unwanted medications, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, pet medicines, medicine samples and vitamins, to select locations. The medicine waste will then be properly disposed of at a permitted facility. WCRC will soon release a paper discussing issues of final disposal of collected medicines. 

For more information on this project, check out the frequently asked questions, or contact Eva Dale at 206/441-1790. 

What Other Steps Are We Planning?

WCRC plans to work on reducing toxic medicines in the environment: both purposeful (through disposal to sewers and garbage) and inadvertent (through excretion) contributions.

WCRC wants to explore options to reduce toxicities of medicines and quantities of unwanted medicines. Generally, the manufacturers of a product are in the best position to make changes in the design of the product. When manufacturers pay for disposal, they have a financial incentive to make more environmentally-friendly products that are less toxic. This producer responsibility approach has been applied to a wide range of products in many countries throughout the world. British Columbia currently uses this approach for household medicine returns. WCRC wants to see the collection and disposal of household medicines in Washington funded by the manufacturers of the medicines. We will be collaborating with others to initiate discussions and take steps in this direction.  

Also, currently, there are no commercially available disposal methods that are completely without environmental concerns. WCRC would like to explore alternatives to what’s currently available to work towards disposal that will meet the regulatory needs of the program and be more environmentally protective.  

For more information on this project, check out the frequently asked questions, or  contact Eva Dale at  206/441-1790.

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