The state Department of Environmental Conservation wants you to know that what you're flushing down the toilet could be affect the environment. They've started a campaign called, "Don't Flush You're Drugs." Our North Country Reporter, Kim Lengle, has the details.

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"We're trying to let the public know not to flush," said Gus Carayiannis, Environmental Engineer for the DEC.

Pharmacists and environmental agencies agree that the stats are alarming for both humans and animals. Trace amounts of pharmaceutical like antibiotics, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in some drinking water supplies.

"What they think is that the majority of that comes from our ingestion of medications and process that when you go to the bathroom," said Jeanine Abrons, Albany College of Pharmacy Assistant Professor.

"Some of the active ingredients in some of the different drugs cause reproductive issues. Certain aquatic life have actually grown different appendages," said Carayiannis.

In order to lessen the impact on the environment, the state Department of Environmental Conservation started a "Don't Flush Your Drugs" campaign.

"Over the past couple of years, it's been determined that there's a lot of issues with the old school way of disposing of medication by flushing. We're finding that it's causing problems with amphibians and aquatic life," said Carayiannis.

Collection events are happening around the state this week and rather than flushing your unused and unwanted medication, you can drop them off here.

The state also recommends putting your pills in bag with a little water and adding coffee grinds or kitty litter to contaminate the medication.

"It makes it less desirable for people wanting to go through your trash," said Abrons.

For more information on the right way to get rid of your medication, check out the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/press/58645.html.