Declutter 2012 {Dispose of Expired Prescriptions}

It is Operation De-clutter in our home. It's time for some serious purging! It feels great to be getting rid of stuff and living with less. However, I've realized it takes quite a bit of research and a little creativity to be sure I'm disposing of things in the most environmentally friendly way possible. So every week I'm going to post on my findings on how to do a green declutter.  I'll also tell you what other items I've cast off that week.

Image Source

The one room in our house that has officially been decluttered is the bathroom. It was probably the easiest because it has a finite number of cabinets and drawers to clean out and not a lot of places for piles to accumulate. I got rid of about half of everything in there, and now there is a lot more space that helps keep everything organized. I found out that I don't need to buy a lot of items like tooth paste, face wash, or moisturizer for a long long time. Now all the extras are in one easy to spot location, so we know what's available. Decluttering saves money.

How to Dispose of Prescription Drugs

While decluttering the bathroom, I found several expired prescriptions. I wasn't exactly sure what the green options for disposing of them were.  With BabyE soon to be crawling, I knew it would not be safe to keep them around the house.  Properly disposing of pharmaceuticals reduces the risk that little ones will accidentally get into these dangerous substances. Putting them in the garbage is not an option because the drugs can leak into the ground water from landfills.  Flushing unused prescriptions is also not a green choice because it puts the drugs directly into lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater which supply drinking water for humans and habitat for entire ecosystems. Prescriptions are great when you need them. It is not so great when substances such as antidepressants, birth control, and antibiotics reach the drinking water of healthy individuals, especially kids. Even in trace amounts, this is a big problem. 

Instead, it's best to take back expired prescriptions to local pharmacies and government agencies that will properly dispose of them.  Do a quick search of DisposeMyMeds.org, The Drug Take Back Network, or Earth911.com to find drop off locations in your area. I've noticed none of these is a complete list, so you may need to check more than one. You can also call local pharmacies to see if they accept expired prescriptions. Then, simply take back your meds! I took back mine this week, and it was really simple.  There was a secure bin where I could drop my prescriptions without having to wait in line. The Drug Enforcement Administration also hosts community prescription take-back days. The next one is April 28.  House Resolution 2939 Pharmaceutical Stewardship Act of 2011 is currently in committee. Contact your representatives to encourage them to make environmentally friendly drug disposal more available nationwide. 

And now...
...What I got rid of this week...


2 Pairs Sunglasses
Fondue Pot
1 Pair Boots
Salad Spinner
Christmas Plate

6 years worth of Pay Stubs

There's much more decluttering to come! Click to subscribe to the GrowingSlower RSS feed to see next week's post.  This post is linked up with Sorta Crunchy & Frugally Sustainable.