So how should these things be handled?
DO NOT:
- Trash Them – The FDA used to specifically direct citizens to "Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers and throw them in the trash" (ONDCP Pamphlet, 2007). Even so, items in municipal garbage can be found by children or animals, with ill effects. Once in a landfill, they may leach out and cause environmental damage or may be ingested by scavengers.
- Flush Them – The easy temptation is to empty a bottle of pills into the toilet and flush, and again the FDA (cited above) recommends doing this for a specific list of drugs, and drug labels often had the tag, "Safe to flush." Municipal water treatment systems are not designed to handle this type of contaminant, and concern is growing over the health and environmental risks of drug disposal in this matter.
- Pour Them – Liquid medications should not go down the sink; they end up in the same waste treatment facility as items flushed down the toilet
- Reuse Them – Unused over-the-counter medications and personal care products may be considered part of the chattels of the deceased, and often relatives will divide up usable items. It is recommended for reasons of safety and hygiene that such products be properly discarded rather than reused. Under no circumstances should prescription medications be recycled; they must be disposed of.
- Donate Them – It may be suggested that OTC pharmaceuticals and unused personal care products (hair spray, shampoo) be given to a charity. Check with the charity first. This may be acceptable ONLY if the containers are clearly unused with seals unbroken. Otherwise, the donation simply passes the disposal task to the charity.
The following are possibilities to explore. Not all of these solutions will work in any given area.
- Prescribing Physician – Narcotics or other controlled medications may be given only to someone with legal authority. The doctor or clinic that prescribed the medication may have a service in place to handle returns of unused or outdated medication. If not, they may be able to provide effective and legal disposal advice.
- Local Pharmacy – Check to see if the dispensing drug store has a drug disposal or recycling service (community take-back program) Most pharmacies do and programs exist in many locations to collect and safely incinerate unused drugs.
- Local Municipality – Many municipalities offer regular "toxic roundup" drives that include collection of unused or stale-dated medications. Some larger population centers have holding facilities and will accept drop-offs at any time of year.
If trashing the medications is the only alternative, the FDA advises mixing the medications with an unpleasant substance (used coffee grounds, water, kitty litter for solids; flour or salt for liquids, for example) and putting the resulting mess into an impermeable, nondescript container such as a zip-loc sandwich bag or empty can with a plastic lid.
What about paperwork retention?
An executor/trix may request reply from the tax department to provide approval of any destruction if unclear as to whether the timing is okay. Remember that paperwork retention is 6 years from the date the tax government has replied (accessed) their findings (notice of assessment) to you. This link below at Canada Revenue Agency will provide clarification. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/txtps/2009/tt090317-eng.html
