Drop off unused or expired medications at Payne's

Payne's Pharmacy in Flora is sponsoring a "Medication Take Back Program" next week, July 6-11. Anyone who is not sure how to dispose of unused or expired medications may drop them off at Payne's Pharmacy during that week.

Leaving unused and expired medications around the house can be dangerous, said Barb Payne, registered pharmacist.

Reports show that unused medications in households create problems resulting in 20,000 unintentional drug poisonings annually. Reports also indicate that 80 percent of wastewater tested in the United States shows traces of common medications.

"While flushing medications used to be considered acceptable, research has shown that our wastewater treatment plants are not designed to deal with high pharmaceutical loads; therefore, what you flush may be discharged into rivers and streams where aquatic species and wildlife can be negatively impacted as well as well water supplies," says Linda Lee, Environmental Chemistry Professor in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University.

"Payne's Pharmacy wants to do our part to help keep drugs out of our water supply and assure that all medications are disposed of in a proper manner to protect our water supply," Payne said.

She suggests that expired or unused medications should not be flushed; instead drop them off at Payne's Pharmacy in Flora the week of July 6.

The following items are acceptable for return: non-controlled tablets, capsules, liquids, lotions, creams, inhalers and over-the-counter medications.

Controlled substances, syringes and needles are not acceptable for return.

All medications will be sent to the Northwest Indiana Solid Waste District where they will be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.