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Don’t Dispose of Medicines and Medicines Down The Drain: Here’s How to do it Right

What to do with old pills and opened bottles of cough syrup? Just in the toilet and flush? Not a good idea: Medicines find their way into the wastewater and thus into the water cycle in many ways – with negative consequences for the environment.

Medicines in waste water: causes and problems

Drugs get into the wastewater in a number of ways. People take medicines and may excrete some of them in their faeces or urine. Medicines that are administered as a cream enter the sewage system when you shower and bathe. On the other hand, disposal via the toilet and sink is completely avoidable and also wrong, explains Philip Heldt, graduate human biologist and ecotoxicologist from the NRW consumer advice center. Not inconsiderable amounts of medical waste products also come from livestock farming. Especially in farms with conventional intensive animal husbandry, the animals receive medication that gets into the groundwater via excretions.

However, how difficult it is to filter the substances out of the wastewater varies widely. Many medicinal active ingredients are quickly and easily degradable. However, this is not the case with others because they cannot be defeated by bacteria. Bacterial degradation is the common process in water treatment. In some places, sewage treatment plants are therefore retrofitted with activated carbon filters or ozonation systems in order to also destroy substances that cannot be eliminated by bacterial degradation. “It’s successful, but it’s not happening across the board,” criticizes Philip Heldt.

The further course of the substances is problematic. Water that has passed through the treatment plant then flows into rivers and thus back into the natural water cycle. “This means that people and animals drink from it and thus absorb the substances,” explains expert Heldt.

Effects on people, wildlife and flora

In a period of 30 years, substances such as diclofenac cause environmental cleaning costs of up to 1.5 billion euros, according to a new study by Prof. Mark Oelmann from the Ruhr West University. In 2019, 40 watercourses in Austria were examined and the painkiller diclofenac was detected in all of them. In studies for certain fish species, harmful effects on the liver and kidneys could be demonstrated. In trout, for example, half a microgram of diclofenac per liter of water already leads to kidney damage.

But: People do not ingest any drug residues through their drinking water. “You can drink the water from the tap without hesitation,” assures the resource conservation expert Heldt. On the one hand, most substances in the sewage treatment plants are degraded to well below the limit values. On the other hand, the water works only take water from very pure sources for drinking water. “To ensure that this continues to be possible in the future, careful handling of the wastewater is important.” You should not waste water and, above all, give it back as clean as possible.

Because the sewage treatment plants do not manage to filter out all the substances from the wastewater. Careful, sustainable use of water therefore means not only saving on the quantity, but above all loading it with as few things as possible that do not belong in it. “The toilet is not a dump,” warns Astrid Hackenesch-Rump

Conclusion

You too can make a contribution by using medication correctly. The most important thing is not to throw medication down the toilet or sink. You can hand in medicines that have expired or are no longer needed in most pharmacies, and disposal with the residual waste is also possible in almost all cities. The medicines are then burned with the other residual waste in the waste incineration plant. Medicines should only be taken to the recycling center in municipalities with mechanical-biological waste treatment. You can find out more on the homepage of your local waste disposal company. “Last but not least, moderate meat consumption contributes to water protection. Buying meat from organic farms is also an alternative, since less medication is used,” says von Heldt.

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Lifestyle

Clean Clogged Drain – Tips and Remedies

Lots of useful tips and natural home remedies to clear a clogged drain. So the clogged drain is finally free and clean again. In a gentle and environmentally friendly way, also without chemicals.

Toilet, tub, or sink drains can clog from time to time. Because hair and other deposits can form severe blockages. In addition, unpleasant odors can arise. That’s why we show you how to clean your drain with home remedies. From vinegar and baking soda to mechanical cleaning. Drains should be cleaned regularly as a preventive measure.

Clogged drain – why?

Cleaning toilet drains is tedious and unpopular, but absolutely necessary. It’s not just deposits and odors that bother going to the toilet. If regular cleaning is neglected, there is a risk of partial or complete blockages. There are many reasons for a clogged drain. Soap residue, hair, oils, leftover food, or the like are usually responsible for this. These settle down after a while. When your drain is clogged, you can usually tell by the slower flow of water. It can also lead to unpleasant odors and gurgling noises.

Clean the drain – but how?

Before you consult a specialist, you should first check the domestic pipes yourself. With the necessary know-how, this is easily possible. You can potentially avoid expensive drain cleaner bills this way. Because you can already fight the deposits in the drain with simple household remedies. As a result, you can try the following home remedies beforehand:

1) Clear constipation with baking soda and vinegar

Everyone will experience a clogged drain at some point in their life. The most polluting solution is to use strong chemical cleaning agents. Therefore, you should first resort to good old home remedies. Use the miracle cure baking soda for this. Because it clears blockages in the pipes. So, all you have to do is mix baking soda with hot water and pour it down the drain. Repeat regularly.

2) Clean the drain with baking soda and vinegar

Cleaning the drain with the use of the home remedy baking soda works just as well. In combination with effective vinegar, it works wonders here. Accordingly, first, put 3-4 tablespoons of baking soda in the clogged drain. Then pour enough vinegar on it. And then plug the drain immediately. As a result, baking soda and vinegar react with each other and you will hear a distinct bubbling. When this noise has stopped, you can pour boiling hot water. If necessary, repeat the process.

3) Salt, Vinegar, and All-Purpose Cleaner

You can easily clean your toilet drain with a mixture of salt, vinegar, and all-purpose cleaner. Even a small amount is enough here. Then you have to scrub vigorously with the toilet brush. It will be easier if you let the cleaner sit for a few hours before cleaning. This means that you can get rid of the deposits in the pipe well. The all-purpose cleaner also helps against unpleasant odors. Also, note our article on other home remedies for clogged toilets.

4) Denture cleaner for a clogged drain

Cleaners from third teeth, such as Corega Tabs, also do a good job. It is best to throw them in the toilet in the evening and leave them on overnight. Then you can simply rinse in the morning and scrub with the toilet brush. You can just as easily unclog and clean a clogged drain with coke.

Mechanical pipe and drain cleaning

In addition to using effective home remedies, you can also mechanically clean your clogged drain. This is particularly useful if you want to work completely without chemicals. And some variants can also be carried out by laypeople. This also saves you expensive pipe and drain cleaning by an expert.

5) Clear clogged drain with a plunger

The classic solution for clogged drains is the suction bell, also known as a plunger. Everyone should have them at home. Because in an emergency, it can clear a severe blockage in the toilet or in the sink. For the method with the suction cup, you can also use boiling hot water to help. To do this, simply attach the plunger and press on, and suck off with quick movements. In this way, you create an overpressure and under pressure. With sinks, you should make sure that the remaining air holes are closed.

6) Clean the drain with a PET bottle

How should it work? In addition to the classic suction cup, you can also use a PET bottle. And this is equally suitable for sinks and toilets. Because even with a PET bottle, you can generate positive and negative pressure. And thereby remove the deposits in the drain.

7) Drain cleaning with a spiral

Another possibility for mechanical cleaning can be done with the help of pipe cleaning spirals. This allows you to penetrate far into the pipelines. Even deep-seated blockages are loosened by movements of the spiral-shaped aid. If you don’t have a spiral handy, you can repurpose an old metal hanger or a piece of strong wire.

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