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HOT
TOPICS
Think
Before You Flush That Pill
Reprinted
from the fall 2003 issue of “On Tap” published by the National Drinking Water
Clearinghouse.
We used to think the best way to dispose of old or leftover medicine was to
flush it down the toilet. That way kids and animals wouldn’t come in contact
with it and inadvertently become poisoned. But that’s not true anymore, and
environmental scientists are warning people, “Do not flush.”
Antibiotics,
hormones, painkillers, antidepressants, and an array of other medications are
now finding their way into the nation’s waterways—raising disturbing questions
about potential health and environmental effects, according to the Associated
Press article, “Flushing Expired Drugs No Longer Recommended.” Besides
individuals who flush prescriptions, nursing homes dispose of anywhere between
$73 million and $378 million worth of drugs each year. Some are incinerated, but
many are just flushed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying whether to develop
formal recommendations for what to do with old or leftover drugs. “The age-old
wisdom of flushing medication down the toilet is probably the least desirable of
the alternatives,”
says Christian Daughton of EPA’s Las Vegas laboratory.
Long-term effects of these drugs aren’t known, but environmental scientists
worry that exposure to even tiny amounts might cause harm, at least to the
ecology.
Studies have linked hormone exposure to reproductive side effects in fish (see
the article in On Tap, Winter 2003, “They’re in the water. They make fish change
sex. Endocrine Disruptors. What are they doing to you?”) Scientists also worry
about environmental exposure to antibiotics because they fear microbes may
become drug resistant and eventually become “super germs.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reevaluating its policy about labeling
drugs with instructions for disposal. In addition, some states are working to
allow nursing homes to donate medications to indigent patients, as long they
weren’t opened or tampered with in any way. Until there’s labeling, though,
environmental experts offer this advice:
• Take all of a prescribed medication unless there’s a good reason not to, such
as a bad side effect.
• Trash is better than the toilet. Take proper precautions against children or
pets accidentally ingesting them, such as breaking up capsules and crushing
tablets and then putting the remains back in the original container. Tape the
container, and then double bag it before tossing.
• Check to see if there’s a local household hazardous waste collection site that
will take old prescription drugs.
• The FDA suggests asking pharmacies to take old medication back.
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ARSENIC
Of
late, there has been quite a bit of media attention in regard to arsenic being
detected in water supplies around the country, so we have provided the following
information for our customers.
The
Monroe Township Municipal Utilities Authority samples for arsenic and our sample
results indicate that arsenic does not exist in our water supply.
These sample results as well as a summary of contaminants that we sample
for can be found in our 2000 annual water quality report.
For your convenience you can always find our test results and other
useful information on this web page.
FACT
SHEET
Arsenic
Arsenic
occurs naturally in the environment, being the twentieth most common element in
the Earth’s crust. Arsenic is
also the twelfth most common element in the human body.
Arsenic is added to the environment by weathering of rocks, burning of
fossil fuels, smelting of ores and manufacturing. It is widely distributed in nature and is mainly transported
in the environment by water.
The
present U.S.E.P.A. and NJDEP maximum contaminant level standard for arsenic is
50 parts per billion (ppb).
There
has been some disagreement between various environmental groups as to a safe
level of arsenic exposure.
The
National Resources Defense Council has recommended reducing the arsenic standard
from 50 ppb to 3 ppb. The American
Water Works Association has urged the U.S.E.P.A. not to lower the MCL below 10
ppb. A level not lower than 10 ppb
is based on a lack of health effects data that would indicate and support
improved public health with a standard lower than 10 ppb.
The
National Research Council (NRC) released a report in March of 1999, recommending
the reduction of the 50 ppb standard, but the report did not specify a
recommendation for the new standard. Some
NRC experts did comment that a level below 10 ppb was unsupportable.
The
safe drinking water act gives the U.S.E.P.A. until January 1, 2001 to produce a
final standard.
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What do I do if I have a dip-tube problem?
Call your water-heater manufacturer if you suspect a dip-tube
problem. Many water-heater manufacturers will replace the dip tube free
of charge. In addition, a settlement to a class-action suit against
water-heater manufacturers has been reached.
Proper flushing of the hot-water tanks and lines during replacement
of the dip tube should cure any clogging problems caused by the dip-tube
particles.
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DIP TUBES
What are they, and why can it possibly be a problem in homes?
How do hot water heaters work?
What happened to the dip tube?
Do I have a dip tube problem?
What do I do if I have a dip tube problem?
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What is it and why can it possibly can be a problem in homes?
In an estimated 16 million water heaters manufactured between 1993
and 1996, dip tubes may disintegrate, causing low-water pressure,
trouble getting hot water, and clogging of home fixtures.
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How do hot-water heaters work?
The dip tube is an integral part of the water heater. Water heaters
work by warming cold water before its transmission into pipes in your
home. The long pipe inside the hot-water tank that carries cold water to
be warmed at the bottom of the tank is known as the dip tube.
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What happened to the dip tube?
Prior to 1993, dip tubes were made of metal — usually steel or
copper. Beginning in 1993, dip-tubes manufacturer Perfection
Corporation, which sells dip tubes to many water-heater manufacturers,
changed to plastic dip tubes. As the defective dip tubes disintegrate,
cold water remains at the top of the tank, limiting hot-water supply,
while plastic pieces of the dip tube float out into the hot-water pipes,
possibly clogging faucets, appliance hoses, etc. After receiving
complaints in 1996, Perfection Corporation resumed making dip tubes the
old fashioned way.
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Do I have a dip-tube problem?
A dip-tube problem may be present if:
- The hot-water heater was manufactured between 1993 and 1996. Look
for a stamped-on code, which should also include the year of
manufacture.
- Faucet aerator screens, shower heads, etc., suddenly start to clog
with small white particles and clog quickly after cleaning them.
- It suddenly takes forever to get hot water, it never seems very
hot, or the hot water seems to run out much too fast — even though
the thermostat on the water heater is set to max.
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