When it comes to tidying up your medicine cabinet, you may be at a loss of what to do with expired and unwanted medications. The one thing you shouldn’t do is put them in your household trash. In order to know how to dispose of unused medicines, some education is required.
Why
Improper disposal of medications can be harmful to people and the environment. Thus, you should be aware of potential disposal complications and know about the proper methods of disposing of unneeded drugs. Read more about why it’s important to dispose of drugs safely HERE.
Learn
For disposal information on any kinds of prescriptions and over the counter medications, visit this webpage on MedLine Plus and search for the specific drug(s) you want to dispose of. First, find your medication. Then, once you get to your medication page, click on “What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?” to get safe and proper disposal information.
Dispose
In general, there are three different ways of how you can dispose of medications. Learn more about take back locations, flush disposal at home as well as donation options in the following.
1) Take Back Options
There are two kinds of take back options: permanent take back locations and periodic events. Before you drop off your medications, make sure to remove personal information on the pill bottle or packaging.
– Drug take back locations:
Search for a public disposal location in your area HERE.
– Periodic events:
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is held twice a year in April and October. Find the dates and more information HERE.
2) Household Trash
Some medications can be disposed of at home. Please note that you can only do this if
- your medicine is on the flush list (see below) AND
- a drug take back location is not readily available.
Check the FDA Flush List for select medicines you can immediately get rid of by flushing it down the toilet.
3) Donate
Although not widely known, some states allow the donation of unexpired medications. Laws are in place in those states that differ by:
- The types of drugs accepted
- Who can donate drugs
- Where the donations are collected
- What happens to the drugs after collection
Expired and/or opened medications are never accepted. They must be in their original, sealed containers. Requirements for expiration dates vary by program. To learn more about donation options, read more HERE.
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