Health Risk
“Expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to changes in chemical composition or decrease in potency.”— FDA
"Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and sub-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance."— FDA
"When a drug degrades it may yield toxic compounds that could cause consumers to experience unintended side effects"— FDA
Drug Abuse & Misuse
“Easy access to unused medications at home contributes to prescription drug misuse among adolescents.”- NIDA
"It's not coming from street corners. It's coming from our own homes, our own medicine cabinets."- Rob McKenna, former Washington State Attorney General
"For too many New Jerseyans, addiction begins in the medicine cabinet." - NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
Environmental Impact
“Drugs that are flushed or trashed can contaminate water and harm aquatic life.”— EPA
"94% of sampled Florida redfish tested positive for pharmaceuticals" — FIU
“In a nationwide study, at least one pharmaceutical was detected in 80 percent of the streams sampled.”— USGS
“Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals.”— EPA
