Have you wondered what to do with unwanted medications when a loved one dies or you clean out your medicine chest? Traditionally, we’ve been advised to flush them down a toilet or drain.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, there’s new evidence that increased levels of antidepressants and pain relievers are polluting our wastewater causing adverse effects to fish and other aquatic wildlife. “When the water is eventually reused, it can also cause unintentional human exposure to chemicals in medication.”

Instead, we are being asked to make over the counter and prescription medicines unusable and throw them in the trash. The MPCA suggests these precautions.

1. Keep the medication in its original container. The labels may contain safety information and the caps are typically childproof. Leaving the content information clearly visible, scratch the patient’s name out or cover it over with permanent marker.

2. Modify the contents to discourage consumption. Solid medications: add water to pills or capsules to at least partially dissolve them. Liquid medications: add enough table salt, flour, dirt or mustard to make a pungent, unsightly mixture that discourages anyone from eating it. Blister packs: wrap packages containing pills in multiple layers of opaque tape like duct tape.

3. Seal and conceal. Tape the medication container lid shut with packing or duct tape and put it inside a non-transparent bag or container to ensure that the contents cannot be seen.

4. Discard the bag or container in your garbage can.

These suggestions were repeated by our local Blue Earth County Environmental Services staff. While our trash will be buried in a landfill it will be a safer location allowing the medicines to breakdown over time.