Meds Flushing Into Great Lakes, EPA Says

Buffalo, NY (AHN) - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is urging Great Lakes residents not to flush old medications after trace amounts were found in the drinking water of major cities.

The environmental agency urged consumers to instead drop off leftover and expired medicine at collection centers.

The agency believes that a large number of residents around the Great Lakes flush unused and expired medications down the toilet.

The EPA has set a goal of collecting one million pills from consumers around Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes during an Earth Day initiative.

"Participating in the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge is a simple way for individuals to take action to protect the lakes," said Alan J. Steinberg, EPA regional administrator in a press release. "These collection centers will give people an opportunity to finally get rid of things that have probably been hanging around their homes for a long time, like old cell phones, computers, typewriters, televisions, radios and medication."

The Agency is partnering with local communities and businesses throughout the Great Lakes Basin to set up collection centers that will accept old electronics and unused, expired or unwanted medicine.

Starting April 19-27, the agency is helping to pay for more than 70 collection points in New York and seven other states. Electronic waste like computers, cellphones and televisions also will be collected.