Water Environment Services

Cleaning out your medicine cabinet? Don’t flush old or unwanted medications down the toilet or drain.

Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not equipped to treat pharmaceuticals, and chemical compounds from these drugs can pass through treatment plants or septic systems to our rivers or groundwater, which can hurt aquatic wildlife. It can also end up in our drinking water.

Researchers have also detected the presence of antibiotics at low levels in rivers and streams. When bacteria encounter an antibiotic, they will mutate to survive. These changes can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that will be more difficult to treat in the future.

In addition to the environmental impacts, prescription drugs in home cabinets are a significant cause of accidental poisoning. Properly disposing of your old and unwanted medications can help protect you and your family.

There are many locations throughout Clackamas County where you can safely dispose of your old or unwanted medications.

• Prescription Drug Take-Back Sites

The goal of the Lunch & Learn informational forums are to educate stakeholders about what WES is doing to build a resilient, clean water future where people and businesses benefit, and our rivers thrive. These semi-annual meetings with experts help inform the WES Advisory Committee.

Meetings