The Risks of Disposing of Medication in Drains
Many people mistakenly believe flushing medication is safe. They assume pills dissolve quickly, but this is inaccurate. Medications can pollute water supplies, creating environmental and health risks.
Flushed drugs do not simply vanish. They may remain intact or partially dissolve, contaminating water sources. Treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals, so traces can persist in drinking water and ecosystems, harming aquatic life and potentially affecting humans.
Medication in waterways can disrupt hormones in animals and contribute to antibiotic resistance as residual antibiotics affect bacteria.
