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How to Properly Dispose of Prescription Drugs and Medicines
Are unused or expired medications piling up in your medicine cabinet? How do you usually dispose of them? Have you ever considered flushing them down the toilet, pouring them down the sink, or simply tossing them in the trash? Please don’t. According to experts, these disposal methods are unsafe and harmful.
Medications of all kinds are considered hazardous materials. When improperly disposed of, they can lead to several serious and unintended consequences, including:
Increased drug abuse, as individuals may search through trash for unused medications.
Risk to children, who could accidentally ingest these dangerous substances.
Soil contamination, as drugs seep into the ground and damage plants and natural minerals.
Water pollution, when medications enter rivers and lakes, posing serious threats to fish and wildlife.
Contamination of drinking water, as studies including a 2008 study by Environmental Working Group, have shown traces of prescription drugs in water supplies.
To address these concerns and raise public awareness, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with the White House, established guidelines in 2007 on the proper disposal of prescription drugs and medications.
How to Properly Dispose of Drugs and Medicines
1. Do not flush medications down the toilet or sink unless the drug label or patient information specifically instructs you to do so.
2. Use community drug take-back programs whenever possible. Many communities offer drug take-back events or household hazardous waste collection programs where medications can be safely disposed of. Contact your city or county waste management or recycling service to find out what options are available in your area.
3. If a take-back program is not available, follow these steps:
i. Remove medications from their original containers.
ii. Mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or cat litter.
iii. Place the mixture in a disposable container with a lid (e.g., an empty margarine tub) or a sealable plastic bag.
iv. Remove or conceal all personal information from empty prescription containers by scratching it off or covering it with tape or a permanent marker.
v. Dispose of the sealed container and the empty medication containers in the household trash.
Properly disposing of prescription drugs protects your family, your community, and the environment. By taking a few extra steps, you help prevent pollution, reduce the risk of accidental poisoning, and limit drug misuse.
Be kind to the environment—and to yourselves. Help spread the word by sharing this information on how to safely dispose of prescription drugs and medications.
