Americans fail to use around 200 million pounds of pharmaceuticals every year. Unwanted drugs present a significant hazard to the environment. They're also a poisoning hazard, so, as well as storing drugs properly, it's vital that everyone gets rid of unwanted medication safely and responsibly. If you need to dispose of unused medicines, make sure you aren't guilty of one or more of the four following bad disposal habits.

Overlooking take-back events

The government recognizes that many people will want to get rid of unused drugs, so the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regularly manages 'take-back' events to help people deal with the issue. Check out events in your area, and take the opportunity to look for unwanted medications you can dispose of on an official 'take-back' day, which may take place at a pharmacy, a hospital or a law enforcement location.

Before you take drugs to any take-back location, make sure you leave the medicines in their original packaging, or the experts won't know what they're dealing with. Of course, you can mark out any personal information on the label. Check what you can take back for collection before you go to a take-back event, too. For example, you cannot normally take controlled substances to one of these events unless there are law enforcement officers present.

Flushing all drugs down the toilet

Some people believe that the toilet is a good way to get rid of unwanted drugs. Given that we all flush other types of waste away, why should a few tablets make any difference?

Unfortunately, unwanted medicines can easily pass through the sewage treatment system, as plants cannot remove this sort of chemical from the water. By flushing these drugs down the toilet, you can contaminate water supplies, so you should generally avoid this habit. Tests show that 80 percent of waterways tested in the United States showed traces of common medications.

That aside, some prescription drugs are very dangerous in small doses. As such, if there are no other options available, the FDA publishes a list of drugs that you can flush down the toilet. As such, before you head straight for the bathroom with unwanted drugs, find alternative disposal methods first and only use the toilet as a last resort for medicines published on the FDA's list.

Failing to disguise tablets in the household trash

If there isn't a take-back event near you and there are no specific disposal instructions on your medicine's packaging, you can normally get rid of unwanted drugs in the household trash. That aside, you cannot just throw the pills and packaging straight in the trash can. You need to take precautions to make sure somebody doesn't get hold of the medication.

Remove all tablets from their containers. Crush up and mix the drugs with other undesirable substances. For example, you could dispose of unwanted drugs in dirty kitty litter. This will make the medicines unappealing to children and animals. What's more, anybody who scours the trash for second-hand medications probably won't find them.

Recycling drugs illegally

Most American states have strict laws about recycling unwanted medications. Many states permit recycling, but only for certain drugs or licensed sources. With the best intentions, some people try to collect unwanted drugs for humanitarian causes, but many of these programs operate illegally. What's more, illegal recycling programs are sometimes more harmful than good.

Illegal recycling programs may not store medications properly, allowing some people to receive dangerously old or less potent drugs. What's more, experts believe that these programs may fuel the trade in counterfeit drugs. As such, you should not support any recycling program that does not have backing from the proper authorities.

Unwanted drugs can take up space in your medicine cabinet, and unused medications can pose a safety hazard around young children. Make sure you dispose of medications appropriately, or you could do more harm than good. To learn more, contact a company like Orange Beach Walk-In Medical Care.