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Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Drinking Water According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) refer to any product used by individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons or used by agribusiness to enhance growth or health of livestock. PPCPs include:
Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals are present in our nation's groundwater and surface water. PPCPs have collected in the water through a few different pathways. Drugs are not entirely broken down and absorbed by our bodies and are excreted and passed into wastewater and subsequently surface water. PPCPs also end up in water from different disposal methods such as being flushed down the toliet or being drained in the sink. While studies to date have not found evidence of adverse human health effects, current research shows that PPCPs in the water can have negative impacts on ecological health. As this research continues, there are some steps we can take now to properly dispose of these leftover and unwanted chemicals to prevent ecological impact. Proper disposal will reduce our exposure to these chemicals and can help reduce the amount found in our waters, including those waters used as drinking water resources. How to dispose of unused perscription and over the counter drugs: Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet or drain unless the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so. For information on drugs that should be flushed visit the FDA’s website. To dispose of prescription drugs not labeled to be flushed, you may be able to take advantage of community drug take-back programs or other programs, such as household hazardous waste collection events, that collect drugs at a central location for proper disposal. Call your city or county government’s household trash and recycling service and ask if a drug take-back program is available in your community. If a drug take-back or collection program is not available: 1. Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers. 2. Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds. 3. Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag. 4. Conceal or remove any personal information, including Rx number, on the empty containers by covering it with black permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it off. 5. Place the sealed container with the mixture, and the empty drug containers, in the trash. For more information on this topic:
References: EPA. 2010. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/ FDA. 2011. How to dispose of unused medicines. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm101653.htm Return to Private Well Home Page
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