How Your Prescription Medications Could Be Silently Damaging Your Babylon Home’s Septic System

If you’re a homeowner in Babylon, NY, with a septic system, you might be unknowingly putting your wastewater treatment at risk every time you take prescription medications. While most people understand they shouldn’t flush pills down the toilet, few realize that when we take any drug, a portion of the original parent drug does not get broken down by our bodies and is excreted in our waste, which means we are either flushing or washing medication into our septic system anytime we take a prescription drug.

The Hidden Threat: Medications in Human Waste

Your septic system depends on a delicate balance of beneficial bacteria to break down waste and treat wastewater before it’s released into the soil. Septic tanks and drain fields depend on both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria to break down the organic waste and clean the water as it is released it into the soil for filtration. Some chemicals from medications, such as antibiotics, antibacterials, and chemotherapy treatments, that do not completely metabolize in your body and are expelled in your waste. These chemicals can disrupt the biological action in your tank and drain field causing it to fill with solids more quickly.

Estimates indicate only about 90% of the drug is metabolized by our bodies, meaning that unprocessed medications regularly enter your septic system through normal bodily functions. Septic systems, unlike sewage treatment plants, operate on a microscale. Because of this, the impact of these medications will be much greater and needs to be something all septic system owners are mindful of.

Which Medications Pose the Greatest Risk?

While most general medications and typical over the counter medications will not harm our septic or wastewater system, certain prescription drugs can cause significant problems:

• Antibiotics: Taken for a standard amount of time, usually less than two weeks, these undigested antibiotics will not have a significant impact on your septic’s ecosystem. However, over the long haul, antibiotics in your waste will kill of the bacteria in your septic system, making it far less efficient at breaking down the solids in the tank.
• Chemotherapy drugs: Chemotherapy drugs have a similar effect on your septic system. Much like antibiotics, can seriously impair the health of your septic system. Many of these drugs, while useful in helping to treat tumours, will kill the bacteria in your tank.
• Other prescription medications: Examples of these are antibiotics, anti-depressants, cancer-related drugs, or painkillers. These medications can negatively impact your septic system.

Safe Medication Disposal Practices for Babylon Homeowners

Proper medication disposal is crucial for protecting your septic system and the environment. The best way to dispose of most types of unused or expired medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter) is to immediately use a take-back option.

Preferred Disposal Methods:

• Drug Take-Back Programs: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sponsors National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide. Many communities also have their own drug take-back events. Check with your local law enforcement officials to find a location near you or with the DEA to find a DEA-authorized collector in your community.
• Pharmacy Programs: Some pharmacies offer on-site medicine drop-off boxes or kiosks, mail-back programs and other ways to help you safely dispose of medicines.
• Mail-Back Envelopes: A prepaid drug mail-back envelope is a convenient and secure disposal option. These envelopes are sold at various places, including retail pharmacies and online.

Home Disposal as Last Resort:

If take-back options aren’t available, Remove the drugs from their original containers and mix them with something undesirable, such as used coffee grounds, dirt or cat litter. This makes the medicine less appealing to children and pets – and unrecognizable to someone who might intentionally go through the trash looking for drugs. Put the mixture in something you can close (a resealable zipper storage bag, empty can or other container) to prevent the drug from leaking or spilling out.

Protecting Your Septic System During Medical Treatment

If you or a family member requires extended medication treatment, there are steps you can take to minimize damage to your septic system:

• Increase pumping frequency: If someone in your home is taking medications for an extended period, you may want to have your septic tank pumped more often.
• Consider additional water: Adding additional water or extra flushes can help dilute the drug in your septic system.
• Monitor system health: If you take something for longer than three months, minimize other products that are used to kill bacteria to reduce further stress on the system. Have the system evaluated after you start your medication to see how it is affecting the ecosystem in the tank.

When to Call Professional Help

For Babylon homeowners concerned about their septic system’s health, especially during periods of medication use, professional maintenance becomes even more critical. Regular septic tank pumping babylon services can help ensure your system continues functioning properly despite the additional stress from pharmaceutical compounds.

Antorino & Sons, a family-owned and operated company serving Long Island for over 60 years, understands the unique challenges facing Babylon homeowners with septic systems. We are a family-owned and operated cesspool company serving Long Island. We’re not just about fixing cesspools; we’re about building relationships with our customers and providing solutions that last. Their experienced technicians can assess how medication use might be affecting your system and recommend appropriate maintenance schedules.

Environmental Responsibility

Beyond protecting your septic system, proper medication disposal protects Long Island’s groundwater and environment. In homes that use septic tanks, prescription and over-the-counter drugs flushed down the toilet can leach into the ground and seep into ground water. The U.S. Geological Survey has reported in an early 2000 nation-wide study that medicines and other unwanted chemicals were found in over 80% of the streams and rivers that they sampled. This is dangerous because some of these waterways make up our drinking water. Another recent study says that over 40 million Americans are currently at risk of consuming water that is contaminated by such medication.

Conclusion

As a Babylon homeowner with a septic system, understanding how prescription medications affect your wastewater treatment is crucial for maintaining system health and protecting the environment. By following proper disposal practices for unused medications and working with experienced professionals like Antorino & Sons for regular maintenance, you can ensure your septic system continues to function effectively while protecting Long Island’s precious water resources.

Remember, Consistent maintenance and regular inspections are the best way maintain a healthy septic or other onsite wastewater system. Don’t let prescription medications become a hidden threat to your home’s most important infrastructure.