When flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain, medications pollute our water and jeopardize public health by exposing people and wildlife to harmful chemicals. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), your unwanted medications could end up lost, stolen, or misused. Please dispose of your medications safely.
Dispose at home
- Place the medication(s) into a zippered bag.
- Pour in just enough hot water to dissolve the medications (over 110 degrees — or about as hot as coffee).
- Add an absorbent filler material, like cat litter, coffee grounds, soil, or tissue paper.
- Seal the bag.
- Place it in your waste collection cart or can.
Better yet: dispose at a drug take-back location
As an alternative to home disposal, there are medication drop boxes located at Walgreens pharmacies. According to Walgreens, they have installed more than 1,500 safe medication disposal kiosks in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Check here for a list of the medications they accept. You can also find the nearest kiosk by using the Walgreens store locator and selecting Filters > Pharmacy > Medication Disposal Kiosk.
Additionally, in April and October of each year, local police departments take part in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Takeback Day, a secure collection event for disposing of unused medications. Use the Collection Site Locator based on zip code to find the site nearest you. The fall collection date is coming up on Saturday, October 25, so you have plenty of time to round up those unwanted medications. The DEA also offers a link to find other year-round takeback locations.
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