Improper Disposal of Pharmaceuticals Can Cause Serious Harm

Rochester, NY, May 28, 2011 - As many hit New York's waterways this summer, environmental groups are reminding people that prescription drugs that are not disposed of properly could end up in local rivers and lakes.

As seen in this clip from Your News Now, New York Sea Grant said that dumping your unwanted pharmaceuticals in the toilet may be an easy way to get rid of them, but doing so can wreak havoc on the environment, killing fish and plant life.

NYSG's Helen Domske said that waste water treatment plants are not designed to filter out those kinds of chemicals.

"And what scientists are worried about is these small amounts that continue to build up and as I said can effect the food web at many different levels. And people don't need to worry about what we're drinking at this point but if we continue to carelessly get rid of these materials who knows how much can build up out there," said Domske.

Domske told YNN that the best way to dispose of your unwanted pills is through your local health department.

The YNN channel, based in Syracuse, telecasts two separate program feeds, one to Central/Northern New York; one to the Southern Tier. YNN is available to nearly 600,000 cable subscribers across a 25-county, 15,000 square mile area.