(HealthDay News) -- While flushing unwanted or expired medications down the toilet is common practice, Health Canada says this may harm the environment.

Here's how to properly dispose of medications:

• Check to see if your pharmacy has a drug recycling program.
• See if your municipality incinerates drugs. If so, take your unused medications to your municipality's waste disposal depot.
• At least once a year, go through your medicine cabinet and remove prescription drugs that are old or that you no longer take. Dispose of them as suggested above.