Medication Disposal Website

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Disposal of Medications

Storage of Medications

Disposal Guidelines

Most people think medicines are hazardous waste, but they can be safely thrown away in household trash.

If you have unused medicine to dispose of, make use of take-back programs that allow the public to bring them to a central location for proper disposal.

If you live somewhere there is no such program, you can follow these simple steps instead:

1. Follow any disposal instructions you find on the label or patient insert that came with your medication. Don't flush the medicine unless the information tells you to do so.
2. If the medicine is unused, unneeded or expired and in a solid form take it out of the container it came in. Double bag the drugs in a Ziploc plastic bag or put in another container with the lid taped closed.
   1. For further breakdown, add a small amount of water.
   2. To make sure medicine is not reused, mix them with unattractive substance such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter.
3. For liquid medicine, add enough salt, flour, charcoal or nontoxic powdered spice (like mustard) to make it something no one would want.

4. Vials, unused ampules, and IV bags should remain unopened. Wrap the item with tape and place it in an empty plastic container to reduce breakage.