Is it bad to flush medication down the toilet?

[Tyler Durden]

Can it contaminate the water supply? Can other sources find out about it? Someone told me this stuff can happen now I'm really worried.

[Little_Miss_1565]

I don't think it can be traced back to you specifically, but it can contaminate the water supply, yes. There are reports of antidepressants turning up in towns' drinking water, etc.

[T-6005]

Yeah, but the stuff's generally so diluted that by the time you drink it, it can't do anything to you.

[IamSam]

Why? Did you flush your minocycline with limited side effects down the potty?

[Little_Miss_1565]

Yeah, but the stuff's generally so diluted that by the time you drink it, it can't do anything to you.

I hear the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn has given gonorrhea to those who have fallen in, but that's probably a different set of circumstances, heh.

[jacknife737]

Why? Did you flush your minocycline with limited side effects down the potty?

I lol'd. 10 characters

[Thomas]

Considering all the other crap that goes through our sewers (pun intended), I can't imagine a little bit of some medication doing any damage. Besides, that stuff gets purified quite thoroughly.

[Betty]

I hate to say it, but even though we have pretty decent waste disposal systems in place, there are a LOT of trace chemicals (organics, heavy metals, etc.) that end up down the drain in the synthetic laboratories I've been in.

Flushing small amounts of medication is pretty much insignificant.

[Cock Joke]

You will get all sorts of mutant rats & gators if you do so. Yes.

[0r4ng3]

You will get all sorts of mutant rats & gators if you do so. Yes.
You're forgetting turtles.

[Oxygene]

Medication is considered danger waste where I live and you have to take it back to the pharmacy it's a misdemeanor to dispose of it any other way.

If you flush it down the toiled obviously you aren't gonna bring out the national guard, but it's best if disposed of properly.

[Lizardus]

Sell it to the stoners in your closest back alley.
It's enviorment friendly and you can make some green in the process.

[wheelchairman]

Tyler, is there anything you can do without having to ask a question before or afterhand?

[Paint_It_Black]

It's enviorment friendly and you can make some green in the process.

If that pun was intended then I approve.

[Free?]

I enjoyed this thread :).

[Jesus]

Should just drop it of at the pharmacy next time... but anyway, I doubt it's bad, in fact it might even be positive. Over here we are in the paradoxical position that we are deliberately polluting sewage water because it has become too clean and the bacteria at the water treatment plants need a certain amount of pollution to work effectively and make the water drinkable again.