Monroe Country offers drug disposal

The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office sponsors a drug take-back program at two permanent locations: IU Health Bloomington Hospital in the main lobby of the Outpatient Pharmacy and the Hazardous Materials Facility at the Solid Waste District’s Recycling Center on South Walnut Street.

The goal of the program is to “collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal,” according to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office’s website.

Storing unused medication in medicine cabinets risks the accidental ingestion by a child or pet, as well as drug misuse or abuse by teens and adults, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s website. However, getting rid of drugs by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash risks their entry into the waterways.

When it comes to safely disposing of leftover drugs, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging, according to the FDA’s website. Medications should only be flushed if the packaging specifically instructs it, according to the EPA’s website.

“Flushing medications may be recommended if there is a higher likelihood of harm to a child that may accidentally ingest the medication,” IU Health pharmacist Holly McCollough said.

The FDA recommends that certain powerful pain medications be flushed because just one dose may be fatal if used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed.The residue of flushed medications in Bloomington eventually reaches the Dillman Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“It is an aerobic treatment system equipped with activated charcoal which helps to ‘polish out’ organic compounds,” John Langley, city utilities deputy director, said.

According to the World Health Organization, the trace amounts of pharmaceutical waste that end up in drinking water supplies are unlikely to pose a serious threat to human health.

However, as the larger environmental impacts of flushing medications are unknown, safer alternatives for disposing of unwanted drugs have been developed.

“Any prescription medications should be taken to a drug take-back program if possible,” McCollough said.

The popularity of the prosecutor’s office’s annual drug take-back days demanded a more permanent disposal program, Monroe County Prosecutor Chris Gaal said. Because the collection of controlled substances requires physical police presence, the program could only be implemented a few days a year due to limited staffing resources.

Gaal created a solution using locked metal boxes, which are property of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, to allow for year-round collection.

The Sheriff’s Office empties the boxes weekly and sends the drugs to Covanta Energy facility in Indianapolis for incineration. Since its inception, the program has collected more than 2,000 pounds of pills, Gaal said.

“I think we have a unique program with cooperation between the Sheriff’s Department, Waste Management and the hospital,” Gaal said. “It’s a model that can be duplicated elsewhere if you have the right partners.”

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