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STORING AND DISPOSING MEDICINES WISELY. How do you store and dispose of medicine?. Objectives. At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: Keep track of your medicines Store your medicines in a safe manner Dispose of your medicines safely. INTRODUCTION. Why is this important to me?.
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Objectives • At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: • Keep track of your medicines • Store your medicines in a safe manner • Dispose of your medicines safely
Why is this important to me? • Helps medicine stay “fresh” • Can prevent you getting hurt • Can prevent others getting hurt, esp. children • Prevent medication abuse and theft
Store medicine in a cool dry place x • Heat & humidity can damage medicines • Never store medicine in bathrooms • Avoid exposing medications to very hot or very cold • Store in a cool, dry place
Always read the drug facts label • Sometimes medicines have specific storage instructions. • Follow directions carefully
x NEVER mix or transfer medicines • NEVER combine different medications into one bottle or bag • Keep medicines in their original container x
Keep medicines locked up • Prevent children getting hurt • Child resistant caps are not 100% fool proof! • Prevent others getting hurt • Prevent theft or abuse
Organize and store in a convenient place • Organize • This will help you keep track of your medicines • Sort every 6 months • Get rid of expired meds • If they look bad…they are • Discard meds from previous illnesses
Make it convenient • And have flat surface • Never store over drains
J Good lighting! • Never take medicine in the dark L
US Fish and Wildlife “Medications that are flushed down the toilet can and do find their way into our nation’s waterways every day. Those drugs are present in water that supports many species of fish and other wildlife.” -Director (H Dale Hall)
Wastewater treatment does not capture everything! • Meds come from • Flushing down toilets and drains • Personal waste • Throwing away
NEVER.. • Flush meds down toilet • Pour down drain • Throw loose medicine in trash
DO flush these meds • Actiq • Methylphenidate • Fentanyl • Oxycodone • Enecavir • Atazanavir sulfate • Gatifloxacin • Stavudine • MeperidineHCl • Percocet • Xyrem • Fentora
Do NOT pour in septic tanks • Ineffective tank • Meds alter organisms • Can corrode and leak • Septic tanks still need cleaning • Where does wastewater go?
Do NOT burn in trash • Produces toxic chemicals • The ash can pollute • Water • Groundwater • Food grown in ash contaminated soil • Biggest source of pollution in country National Library of Medicine
Wow! I didn’t know that! 10 lbs of trash burned in a barrel = 400,000 lbs of trash burned in a well-controlled modern incinerator
How to dispose wisely • Community take back program • Ask pharmacist • Be proactive (next slide)
ACTIVITY: 5 step program • Take medicine out of containers • Pour into plastic bag • Mix an undesirable substance • Seal plastic bag and put in trash • Remove and destroy information from containers. • www.smarxtdisposal.net/index.html
Conclusion Be safe. Be Proactive. Safeguard your medicines!