Unused medication is found in Long Island water supply

Medical and health facilities in Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y., are reportedly flushing unused medications down the toilet, having them wind up in the water supply.

The New York Daily News has stated that the report, conducted by Citizens Campaign for the Environment, shares that out of fifty nine health facilities focused upon, fifty one percent are flushing their medications.

“The report highlights the dangers of improper medicine disposal and its profound effect on all of us through their impact on the environment,” said Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Legislator, reported CBS Local. “When there are leftover medications, expired medications, and there are a lot of them, we have to make sure that they do not get flushed, they get properly disposed of.”

The Food and Drug Administration advises that unused drugs should either be incinerated or thrown out.

Upon these findings, the Farmingdale environment group is pushing for some sort of ban on flushing drugs down the toilet. The group urges the state to partake in legislation against these acts.

Suffolk County receives its water supply through aquifers and not reservoirs like the rest of New York State.

Legislators are urging for water to be as pure as possible.