Crush Don't Flush Campaign

Crush Don't Flush Campaign

April 2008 - The Pharmaceutical Research 
and Manufacturers of America Monday signed a formal agreement with the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Pharmacists Association, 
APhA, to help protect fish and aquatic resources from the improper 
disposal of medication. 
The campaign - tagged "SMARxT DISPOSAL" - informs people on how to safely 
dispose of medicines in the trash, and highlights the environmental threat 
posed from flushing medicines down the toilet. 
Consumers were once advised to flush their expired or unused medications, 
but recent environmental impact studies report that this practice could be 
having an adverse impact on the environment. 

Instead, the currently approved way to handle most medications is 
expressed by the campaign as a set of simple instructions. "Don't flush 
those medicines, crush the medicines in a plastic bag; add coffee-grounds, 
sawdust or kitty-litter; seal the bag and put it in the trash. In other 
words, crush...don't flush." 
"Trace amounts of chemical compounds often associated with medications 
have been increasingly detected in our waters, the very waters that 
support our nation's fish and other wildlife," said Gary Frazer, assistant 
director of fisheries and habitat conservation with the Fish and Wildlife 
Service. 
He said "uncertainty still exists about the impact of these chemicals" on 
human health and the environment, but the three organizations "recognize 
the value of getting in front of the issue." 
The partnership was announced during APhA's annual meeting held in San 
Diego, California, one of the largest gatherings of pharmacy professionals 
and health services providers in the country. 
"Medications play a vital role in our society," said Dr. John Gans, 
executive vice president and chief executive of APhA. "Consumers and 
pharmacists should be aware that it is important to take that extra step 
to protect our families and our natural resources." 
"Proper disposal of medicines is important to America's families. PhRMA is 
very excited to be working on this initiative with the Fish and Wildlife 
Service and American Pharmacist Association that will educate all 
Americans on the safest way to dispose of unused medicines," said Billy 
Tauzin, president and chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Research and 
Manufacturers Association. 
While the rule of thumb is not to flush, the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration has determined that certain medications should be flushed 
due to their abuse potential. 
The pharmacy groups advise consumers to read the instructions on the 
medication and if in doubt, talk to a pharmacist. Also to prevent abuse, 
consumers are advised to remove and destroy all identifying personal 
information, including the prescription label, from discarded medication 
containers. 
Visit the SMARxT Disposal website at: http://www.smarxtdisposal.net

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