Did you

Know?

Treatment plants are not designed to remove medications from wastewater. Therefore, chemicals disposed of in sinks and toilets can reach the environment unintentionally.

One of the goals of the  myflushCounts campaign is to educate the public about the appropriate way to dispose of medications.

For more information on this issue, visit www.hrsd.com, call 757.460.7056, or email flush@hrsd.com.

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Call to Action

  • We are asking you to think before you flush. Please do not flush unused medications down the sink or toilet.
  • Help support the health of our waterways through responsible flushing.
  • We believe what you do makes a difference - your flush does count.
  • Let’s be committed to disposing of medications in a safe way

Medication Disposal

Medication take-back programs at local pharmacies or drugstores are the ideal way to dispose of unwanted medication. However, if that option is not available, we recommend you take the following steps:

  • Keep medications in the original bottle. Being able to identify the medication could be helpful if it is accidentally or intentionally swallowed.
  • Mark out all identifying personal information on the prescription label.
  • Crush solid medications or dissolve them in water and mix with kitty litter, sawdust, or another substance that will make the drug unsuitable for human or animal consumption. This applies to liquid medications as well.
  • Seal the bottle with the lid.
  • Put the medicine bottle, preferably concealed within a non-recyclable container, in the trash for landfill disposal.