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[2] Yeah, a lot of people just flush them down the drain, but that can actually be a dangerous move.
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[3] Atlanta News First investigative reporter, Anastassia Olmos looked into what we actually should do.
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[4] Well, ladies, as you mentioned, studies have shown that some of these prescriptions can pass through the wastewater management contamination system, and it can actually get into the drinking water.
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[5] A viewer had reached out to us upset, because he said his local pharmacy wouldn't take his old medications, and he didn't know what else to do.
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[6] So, we investigated and found that the FDA says the safest way to throw out prescriptions is through a drug take-back program, either an event hosted by a local agency or a permanent drop-off location.
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[7] So what you're looking at is a map that we made of every location you can take expired drugs to within 75 miles of our new station here in Atlanta.
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[8] Now, keep in mind, just because it's a pharmacy does not mean they'll take your expired drugs.
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[9] If you can't get to one of these locations, the FDA does have a list of drugs they say can be flushed down the toilet, including some opioids like Oxycodone and Fentanyl, because the FDA wants you to get them out of your home as soon as possible.
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[10] If the drug is not on the flush list, the FDA recommends you mix it with an unappealing substance like dirt or cat litter, then seal it in a plastic bag and throw it away. This includes medicines like antibiotics and painkillers.
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[11] Now, you can find links to our interactive map as well as the flush list on our website.