Unused medications	Expired drugs
Don’t flush!	Don’t discard!
What to do?	Where to go?

A growing concern in our country and throughout the entire world is the impact pharmaceutical drug waste is having on the environment. The release of pharmaceutical waste into the sanitary sewerage system has a direct impact on our waterways.

• Impacting fish and plant-life
• Impacting our treatment plants
• Impacting our groundwater and waterways

It is crucial for the medical community, government agencies and the general public to combine efforts to reduce and possibly eliminate the release of pharmaceutical waste into the environment. Exercise proper disposal of all medications. Do not flush unused medications down the drain nor toss expired drugs in the garbage. Prevention today will lead to a safer tomorrow. Be prepared to do your part.

• Visit Household Hazardous Waste Disposal events
• Participate in unused drug collection days

For a collection site and date near you, visit:
http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html;
or http://www.swancc.org/recycling/medicinedropoff.html; or www.cityofchicago.org/pharmaceutical.disposal;
or www.ci.schaumburg.il.us/HHS/Health1/Pages/Disposingmedicationssafely

An advisory from the
METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT OF GREATER CHICAGO