How are your Prescriptions Effecting Fish Populations ?
Have you or anyone you know ever discarded pills by flushing them down the toilet or washing them down the drain?
Do you know where these medications that are flushed or washed down the drain go after you lose sight of them?
Do you know how to properly discard of pills or other pharmaceutical products?
(1)
When I began asking myself these questions I realized that there was a lot that I was unsure of myself when it came to the proper disposal of household medications.
I began thinking about the first question, “have you or someone you know ever discarded pills by flushing them down the toilet or washing them down the drain?”, and I realized that I myself am guilty this action.
I remember being prescribed medication for temporary issues or after-surgery care throughout my life, but shortly after the issues were resolved I was left with pills that were no longer needed or eventually became expired. I distinctly remember cleaning out my medicine cabinet and flushing these unneeded pills down the toilet without ever thinking where these pills go or what they could effect once they were out of my site.
I began to wonder who else around me were discarding their medication in the same manner.
I surveyed 20 individuals that I know.
I first surveyed my four roommates that I live with here in Columbus, Ohio. Two out of the four roommates admitted to previously discarding pharmaceuticals by flushing them down the toilet.
Next, I surveyed family members that live in Mansfield, Ohio. Out of my ten family members, three of them admitted to discarding medications either through drains or toilets.
Lastly, I surveyed my immediate family members living in Massillon, Ohio (Northeast Ohio) and 2 of the four members of my family (mother and father) admitted to previously discarding their medications through the toilet.
That is eight people (including me) over a 100 miles of Ohio that are contributing pharmaceuticals to our water system in some way. This is only a glimpse of my closest group of people surrounding me, with I’m sure many more individuals that are discarding medications in similar ways.
(2)These results led me to begin thinking about my next question I asked at the beginning of this discussion, “where do the items that are flushed or washed down the drain go after you lose sight of them?”. Specifically, how do these medications affect the environment and organisms that I am experiencing around me.
A study conducted in the Great Lakes region by Randolph Singh from the University of Buffalo explored how flushed pharmaceuticals are affecting species of fish, primarily walleye, bass, and perch. Throughout the course of their research they discovered the presence of anti-depressant in the brains of 10 different species of fish. Furthermore, they indicated that this presence of anti-depressants in the fish brains caused the fishes’ behaviors to be altered. The fish studied began to lose their instinctual behaviors to evade predators. They then became an easier target to kill and this pattern could eventually dramatically effect populations of fish living in the Great Lakes region1.
Singh continues that the amount of these medications found in the fish that were causing behavior changes were only in parts per trillion. This means that if the public continues to be uninformed and continues its trend of flushing medications down the drain, this issue could grow and affect more fish or potentially begin affecting humans in the food chain line.
After knowing what these flushed medications are doing to the environment and organisms in my own state of Ohio, I began looking t the third question I posed “how to properly discard of pills or other pharmaceutical products?”.
(3)
The FDA outlines proper disposal of medications. The best way to remove medications from your possession is through medication take-back programs.
For example Ohio’s next Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 28, 2017 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and a list of collectors near you can be found at: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/.
(4)
There are also permanent locations that will take your expired or unwanted medications throughout the year. A list of local locations in Ohio can be found at: http://epa.ohio.gov/portals/34/document/general/Law%20enforcement%20pharmaceutical%20%20drop-off.pdf
The FDA also mentions that if these drug take-back programs are not feasible, drugs can be thrown away in a household trash if handled in the correct way. They should first be combined with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, coffee grounds, or kitty litter in some type of container. This will create a holding place for these medications that will prevent the leaching through soil into aquatic ecosystems by groundwater or precipitation.
I was not always informed on how improperly discarded medications can cause detrimental effects to fish populations or even there was a right or wrong way to properly discard medications. However, now that I know the facts and that there are precautions that can be taken to avoid this phenomenon I will begin to integrate this into my life and I challenge others to do the same !
Text References:
1.Shoup, C. (2017, September, 15) Flushed Pills affecting Great Lakes Fish, Study Says. The News-Messneger. Retrieved from http://www.thenews-messenger.com/story/news/local/2017/09/15/flushed-pills-affecting-great-lakes-fish-study-says/658216001/
Images References:
(1). http://blog.doctoroz.com/in-the-news/patients-with-pill-changes-more-likely-to-stop-medications
(2). https://wawangresort.wordpress.com/category/jig-fishing/
(3). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/ensuringsafeuseofmedicine/safedisposalofmedicines/ucm186187.htm
(4). https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/