It’s important to know how to safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications. Some medications can be dangerous to children, animals, and the environment. In the wrong hands or if not disposed of properly, medications can lead to accidental poisoning, misuse, or harm to our environment.
How to Safely Store Medication
- Keep medications in their original container. Never mix or combine different medications into one bottle. If you use a pill organizer, make sure to keep the original containers.
- Don’t store medications in direct sunlight or areas that are hot and humid, such as a bathroom medicine cabinet.
- If a medication needs to be stored in the refrigerator, be careful not to store it in the freezer or expose it to a lot of moisture.
- Lock up medication to keep it out of the wrong hands. For controlled substances, consider using a safe to store them.
- Keep medications out of reach of from children and pets, as well as any person who may be at risk of misusing medications.
- When having guests or others in your home (open houses, cleaning services, contractors), take extra steps to secure your medications. This includes the holidays and other times friends and family may be over.
Ways to Safely Dispose of Unwanted Medications
There are three ways you can safely dispose of your unwanted medications:
- Dispose of the drugs in your trash;
- Drop them off at a drug collection box; or,
- Bring them to a drug take back event.
Safely dispose of drugs in your trash by taking these steps:
- Remove the medication from its original container. Put the medication in a container, like an empty yogurt cup or a sealed plastic bag. Remove the prescription label or use a marker or duct tape to cover your personal information from the empty container.
- Make the medication unusable. Mix your drugs (liquid or pills) with something unappealing like soapy water, used coffee grounds, salt, vinegar or kitty litter.
- Seal it. Close the container with the mixture in it. Tape it shut.
- Throw out the sealed container in your regular trash. Do not put the container in the recycling bin.
Watch: How to safely dispose of drugs in your trash
Bring Your Unwanted Medications to a Drug Collection Box
Drug collection boxes, or drop boxes, are a way you can safely dispose of your unwanted medications. They can be found at secure locations throughout the state, including many police departments and some pharmacies. Simply bring your unwanted drugs to a drug collection location and put them in the collection box to dispose of them. To find a drug collection box near you, click here.
Examples of drugs accepted at drug collection boxes include:
- Over-the-counter medications
- Prescription medications (including controlled substances and chemotherapy drugs)
- Medication samples
- Medications for household pets
- Medicated lotions and ointments
The following drugs and devices are NOT accepted at drug collection boxes:
- Needles or other “sharps”
- Hazardous waste
- Thermometers
- Personal care products (non-medicated shampoo, soap, etc.)
Bring Your Unwanted Medications to a National Drug Take Back Day
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration holds National Drug Take Back Days throughout the year for residents to dispose of unwanted drugs. To see if there is a drug collection event near you, click here.