You may have heard by now that you’re not supposed to flush medication down the toilet.
Dozens of scientific studies have found remnants of our medications in rivers, lakes, and streams. And fish don’t need your unused Ambien — it could even hurt them.
It’s not just old pills that cause drugs to build up in the waterways, though. The buildup of prescription drugs in the environment is mainly due to the fact that our bodies don’t process all of the ingredients, so they often enter the water system when we go to the bathroom.
But flushing the meds directly can add to the buildup, too.