Right around the time Spring rolls around, so does the ambitious home improvement to-do lists. A great way to change the look of room is by adding a fresh coat of paint. What most people are not aware of is that you can't just dispose of left over paint with your regular weekly trash pick-up. But never fear, Atlanta Paint Disposal, offers a safe, convenient service to rid your home of its growing stock pile of half empty cans of paint.
Flushing of Certain Medicines
There is a small number of medicines that may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal in a single dose if they are used by someone other than the person the medicine was prescribed for. List of medicines recommended for disposal by flushing. For this reason, a few medicines have specific disposal instructions that indicate they should be flushed down the sink or toilet when they are no longer needed and when they cannot be disposed of through a drug take-back program. When you dispose of these medicines down the sink or toilet, they cannot be accidently used by children, pets, or anyone else.
You may have also received disposal directions for these medicines when you picked up your prescription. If your medicine is on this list, and you did not receive information containing disposal instructions along with your dispensed prescription, you can find instructions on how to dispose of the medicines at DailyMed1, by searching on the drug name, and then looking in one of the following sections of the prescribing information:
~Information for Patients and Caregivers
~Patient Information
~Patient Counseling Information
~Safety and Handling Instructions
~Medication Guide
FDA remains committed to working with other Federal agencies and medicine manufacturers to develop alternative, safe disposal policies. Below is some additional information about flushing medicine that is no longer needed. If you have additional questions about disposing of your medicine, please contact us at 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the medications on the list have flushing directions for disposal?
The medicines on this list of medicines recommended for disposal by flushing are safe and effective when used as prescribed, but they could be especially harmful to a child, pet, or anyone else if taken accidentally. Some of the possible harmful effects include breathing difficulties or heart problems, possibly leading to death. For these reasons, FDA advises that when it isn’t possible to return these medicines through a medicine take-back program, flushing these medicines down the sink or toilet is currently the best way to immediately and permanently remove the risk of harm from the home. FDA continues to work with and encourage the manufacturers of these medicines to develop alternative, safe disposal systems.
All other expired, unwanted, or unused medicines should be disposed of by using a medicine take-back program, if available, or by throwing them away in the household trash.
Does flushing the medicines on the list down the toilet or sink drain pose a risk to human health and the environment?
We are aware of recent reports that have noted trace amounts of medicines in the water system. The majority of medicines found in the water system are a result of the body’s natural routes of drug elimination (in urine or feces). Scientists, to date, have found no evidence of harmful effects to human health from medicines in the environment.
Disposal of these select, few medicines by flushing contributes only a small fraction of the total amount of medicine found in the water. When a medicine take-back program isn’t available, FDA believes that any potential risk to people and the environment from flushing this small, select list of medicines is outweighed by the real possibility of life-threatening risks from accidental ingestion of these medicines. For a list of medicines recommend for disposal by flushing, click here.
One of our top 5 substances involving children under the age of 5 for April includes antihistamines. It's allergy season and while trying to control the annoying symptoms that plague allergy sufferers, remember to practice child safety precautions when using medications.
For the past few months, the most calls received involving children under the age of 5 has involved cosmetic and personal care products. These items are usually found in abundance in households across the nation and are sometimes carelessly placed about because they are identified as harmless. Unfortunately, anything used outside of its normal intention can be dangerous.
The kit should contain:
•A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP (to induce vomiting)
•A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (to administer peroxide)
•Saline eye solution
•Artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing)
•Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid (for bathing an animal after skin contamination)
•Forceps (to remove stingers)
•A muzzle (to protect against fear- or excitement-induced biting)
•A can of your pet’s favorite wet food
•A pet carrier
Always consult a veterinarian or the APCC for directions on how and when to use any emergency first-aid item.
Source: ASPCA
Posted by Susan Gilmore of The Seattle Times
With spring officially here, the Seattle Animal Shelter is warning cat owners about the dangers flowers can pose to cats.
"Lilies, including Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and some species of day lilies can cause kidney failure in cats," said Don Jordan, director of the Seattle Animal Shelter. "All parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can be life threatening."
He said within only a few hours of ingesting the toxic plant material, a cat may vomit, become lethargic or lose its appetite. The signs worsen as kidney damage progresses and without prompt treatment a cat may develop kidney failure within 36 hours.
To help educate cat owners and veterinarians about the dangers of lilies and other plants, the Animal Poison Control Center and the "No Lilies for Cats Campaign," have developed online materials including photos of common types of dangerous lilies and a list of non-toxic plants. To download the materials, visit www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants or www.noliliesforcats.com/
Source: The Seattle Times
With winter behind us and gorgeous weather an almost daily occasion, we tend to spend a lot more time outside than normal. Whether it be a leisurely stroll in the park or tossing the ball about in the yard, we definitely find ways to soak up the sun! A favorite past time of many during the spring is to tend to their lawns and gardens. You tend to see many of your neighbors making sure lawns are freshly manicured and weed free. This was no different for our recent caller John*. In order to control the weeds in his lawn, he used a common household pesticide that can be found at your local home improvement store. Unfortunately, the sprayer developed a leak and got all over his skin. John continued to treat his lawn and washed off the pesticide after he finished spraying. He developed a serious rash two days later. After treatment with an old tube of medication from a previous ailment didn't seem to be working, he called the Georgia Poison Center. We advised him on the types of irritations caused by herbicides (weed control) and what treatment to seek. 
Have you ever been shopping in the medication aisle of your favorite drug store and your normal brand of medicine isn't available so you decide to choose what you think is a comparable substitute? Well, unfortunately not all medications are created equal. Eventhough some medications may show the same type of active ingredients and same strength, have you ever considered the difference in medication coating? One caller, unfortunately found out the hard way. He developed an allergic reaction to the new medication and experienced difficulty breathing. Upon calling the Georgia Poison Center, our Specialist in Poison Information listened to his symptoms and advised him on treatment. This caller was treated at a local hospital and released with no further complications. 
