Tim Brady, a pharmacist at the Shoppers Drug Mart, Ottawa Square said “this year, public response has been overwhelming”.

The coordinator of the campaign, Judy Palesh, Public Health Nurse reports that the amount of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and minerals removed from Windsor-Essex homes was remarkable. In fact, the response was so great that Don Renaud from SOLUTIONS in Health Inc., a MCCO campaign partner, had to obtain additional storage space to house the “bags and boxes” of MCCO drugs collected between November 1-30, 2009.

“If this is the amount of drugs collected in one month, what would we see if we promoted this campaign throughout the year?” wonders Tim Brady.

Although most pharmacies throughout Canada have a formal “take back” program, Ontario doesn’t. However, that doesn’t mean individuals have to wait until the next MCCO to return their leftover and expired drugs to their pharmacy. Pharmacies are able to take back drugs throughout the year.

BACKGROUNDER

According to Marshall (2008) almost a quarter of all Canadians had expired or leftover medication in their home in 2005. Of those Canadians, 39% put their expired or leftover drugs in the garbage, flushed them down the drain or toilet, or buried them. These numbers appear to be valid in Windsor and Essex County residents because in 2007, a local survey found that 37.5% of individuals in WEC threw their leftover medication in the garbage or flushed them down the toilet. In 2008, 37.1% disposed of their leftover medication in the same way. Improper disposal of medication puts the environment and human health at risk.

Although medicines are meant to keep or make us healthy, they have the potential to cause serious harm and even death. Medicines need to be taken by the right person, at the right time, in the right dose, for the right reason, and by the right route (e.g., by mouth, on skin, or dropped into the ear canal). If a mistake is made when taking a medicine, it could lead to unintentional poisoning.

Medicine is the number one reason for hospitalization due to poisonings. “Every day, more than six Ontarians unintentionally poison themselves and are admitted to hospital” (Smartrisk, 2005). The Southwest Ontario region reported the highest number of unintentional poisonings that required hospitalization in 2005 (Smartrisk, 2005).

Of those admitted to an Ontario hospital for unintentional poisonings, 77% were caused by medications.

Nearly three out of every four Canadians fill at least one prescription for medication each year (Morgan et al, 2008). The prescription drug business is a multi-billion dollar industry in Canada. In fact, Canadians spent approximately $19 billion on prescription drugs in 2007 (Lagden, 2009).

Modern drugs are used to control human and animal diseases and conditions. Medications can improve or sustain human health but if they are discarded the wrong way (e.g., flushed down the toilet), they can harm the environment (e.g., contaminate our soil and drinking water).

When medication is flushed down the toilet, the medicine enters wastewater treatment plants. Once the water is cleaned (e.g., removal of solids, chemicals, and other unwanted materials), it is pumped back into our lakes and rivers. Unfortunately, some medications are not removed during the cleaning process and they end up in our drinking water (Kleywegt et al 2007).

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has identified many types of drugs in Ontario waters like antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, triclosan, the chemical used in anti-microbial products, etc. (Jasim et al, 2006)

When drugs contaminate our environment, human health may be at risk. Environment Canada is in the process of identifying best practices that prevent pharmaceuticals from entering the wastewater in the first place. One strategy is called the “take-back program”.

Take back programs allow individuals to return, at no charge, expired, leftover, or unused medications to their pharmacy for safe disposal.

References:

Carou, S. and S&T Liaison. (2009). Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment: What we know and what we need to know. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Environment Canada Web site: http://www.environment-canada.ca/scitech/default.asp?lang=En&n=6A2D63E5&xsl=articlesservices,viewfull&po=4FCA714A

Jasim, S., Irabelli, A., Yang, P., Ahmed, S., & Schweitzer, L. (2006). Presence of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in Detroit River water and the effect of ozone on removal. [Electronic version]. Ozone : Science & Engineering, 28(6), 415-423.

Kleywegt, S., Smyth, S-A., Parrott, J., Schaefer, K., Lagacé, E., Payne, M., Topp, E., Beck, A., McLaughlin, A., & Ostapyk, K. (Eds). (2007). Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the Canadian environment: Research and policy directions. NWRI Scientific Assessment Report Series No. 8. 53 p.

Lagden, M.G. (2009). IMS health reports retail prescription volume grew 7.1 percent in 2008. (News release March 26, 2009). Montreal: IMS Canada.

Marshall, J., (2008). Disposal of household special wastes. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Statistics Canada Web site: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/16-002-x/2008001/10539-eng.htm

Smartrisk. Ontario Injury Compass. (2005). Unintentional Poisoning. Retrieved October 26, 2006, from http://www.oninjuryresources.ca/downloads/Compass/2005/2005-08-OICompass-poisoning.pdf