Do You Have Old Medications Sitting Around?
In July, Optima Health and Verde Environmental Technologies Inc. partnered to provide a tool to safely dispose of old medications better known as the Deterra drug pouch.
What is the Deterra drug pouch?
Using this pouch, you can properly dispose of any unused and expired medications within seconds. You simply fill the pouch with water, seal it, and discard it.
Do you normally flush your old pills or throw them in the trash?
When you do that, the medication can leak and contaminate water, including well water, waterways, surface water, and can possibly hurt animals. It can even reach the Chesapeake Bay. The Deterra pouch allows you to discard medications safely without harming the environment.
Where can you pick up a Deterra drug pouch?
Deterra drug pouches are available at more than 75 Sentara Family & Internal Medicine Physician offices and Sentara surgical centers in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. Surgical providers will also dispense pouches to patients during their first post-op surgery visit and Optima Health will hand out pouches at various community events. The Deterra drug pouch will also be available to people who are not members of Sentara.
Is the pouch safe for the environment?
The plant-based pouch is safe to throw away in household trash, preventing medications from being misused, or contaminating landfills and waterways.
What medications can you get rid of with the pouch?
Deterra drug pouches use proprietary activated carbon technology and tap water to deactivate prescription and over-the-counter medications, including opioids and fentanyl.