Environmental Issues

America’s pharmaceutical companies have long been advocates for consumer education on prescription drug abuse and safe disposal of prescription medication. PhRMA’s support of programs like America’s Medicine Chest Challenge and SMARxT Disposal programs provide a free and simple solution for consumer disposal, which helps ensure that fewer unused and expired medications are available for prescription drug abuse. Offering several voluntary options for safe disposal of unused and expired medications also makes the disposal process more environmentally sound.

The American Medicine Chest Challenge combines necessary law enforcement oversight with educational and grassroots community advocacy to create a voluntary program that is expected to help prevent prescription medicine diversion. Partner groups include PhRMA, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, American College of Emergency Physicians, National Association of Chain Drug Stores and Consumer Healthcare Products Association, among others. Unlike unsupervised, unregulated take-back programs, the AMCC offers consumers a voluntary program with guidance on handling unused and expired medications.

PhRMA also partners with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and the American Pharmacists Association on the SMARxT Disposal program. This program informs people how to safely dispose of medicines in the trash and notes the environmental risk posed by flushing medicines down the toilet. PhRMA recommends that all unused medicines, unless specified otherwise by the Food and Drug Administration, should be:

• Mixed with water;
• Sealed in an opaque container safely secure from children, pets and others;
• And discarded in household trash to be later incinerated or placed in a government-approved solid waste landfill.

Consumers also may take part in the AMCC community disposal sites as a way to safely dispose of medications in a way that prevents diversion or potential for abuse.

Resources

Learn About Safe Needle Disposal
During the development of innovative home-injectable medicines, pharmaceutical companies strive to employ safe needle technologies which will protect patients and those assisting in the disposal of used sharps.

Disposal By Flushing
The Food and Drug Administration recommends disposal by flushing them down the toilet for only the small number of medications identified in this list. "Flushing these medicines will get rid of them right away and help keep your family and pets safe," the agency says.

Keep Your Kids Safe From Medicines
The American Medicine Chest Challenge aired this public-service announcement to remind parents to take inventory of their prescription medicines, secure them, dispose of unwanted and expired prescriptions, and talk to their children.