Old medicine can hurt the environment

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The West Lafayette Go Greener Commission held a drug collection at the Sagamore West Farmers' Market.

With support from the West Lafayette Police Department, they collected over-the-counter and prescription medications as well as controlled substances and inhalers.

Go Greener Commissioner Rachel Witt said most of the medication will be incinerated.

Witt said it is important for unused, unwanted or expired drugs to be disposed of properly.

"It's absolutely critical to not flush or otherwise introduce medications into the waterways," said Witt. "They're really hazardous for the wildlife and the environment in general in the rivers and streams, but they're also not generally filtered out by water treatment systems and so they are also consumed by humans."

Witt says people that have medications to dispose of that were unable to attend the Go Greener event should contact their pharmacist or local police department.