Pete Grannis, the Commissioner for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) launched a "Don't Flush Your Drugs" campaign earlier this month. In addition, he plans to promote awareness of the proper disposal of pharmaceutical drugs through a new website. According to recent reports, tests show that a variety of medicines are present in both rivers and streams as well as in the drinking water of an estimated 41 million Americans. While the concentrations of pharmaceuticals are small, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that they are still problematic because studies reveal that they can have detrimental effects on wildlife.

Scientists explain that pharmaceuticals may contaminate water in the following ways: people often flush unused drugs, unabsorbed drugs are eliminated by the human body, pharmaceuticals might not fully decompose in septic tanks, and drug manufacturers discharge pharmaceutical wastes. Since wastewater treatment plants are not designed to eliminate all of these chemicals, treatment of industrial and municipal discharge cannot be the way to resolve this problem.

Governor David A. Patterson declared: "While recognizing that the presence of pharmaceuticals in the water is a multi-faceted issue with no single solution or easy technological fix, all of us need to take precautionary action on the things we can affect immediately." In the future, New Yorkers are advised to dispose of their medicines in the trash instead of by flushing them down the toilet. Moreover, another suggestion is to add water, salt, ashes, or ground coffee to medicines to prevent possible misuse.