Medication Disposal
National Prescription Drug Take Back Program – Click Here to check in your neighborhood
Drug Take Back Programs
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide. Many communities also have their own drug take back programs. Check with your local law enforcement officials to find a location near you or with the DEA to find a DEA-authorized collector in your community.
You can also check with your pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer on-site medicine drop-off boxes, mail-back programs, and other ways to help you safely dispose your unused medicines.
How to Safely Dispose of Unused or Expired Medications at Home.
- The best way to dispose of most types* of unused or expired medicines (both prescription and over the counter) is to drop off the medicine at a drug take back site, location, or program immediately.
- If you cannot get to a drug take back location promptly, or there is none near you, and your medicine is
- on the FDA flush list, your next best option is to immediately flush these potentially dangerous medicine down the toilet.
- not on the flush list, you should follow these instructions to discard the medicine in your trash at home.
AT A&P Pharmacy, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest quality healthcare products and services.
Why Proper Drug Disposal is Important
Proper drug disposal is essential to prevent medications from falling into the wrong hands or causing harm to the environment. Improperly disposed of medications can be dangerous to children, pets, and wildlife. They can also contaminate our water supply if flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash.
How to Dispose of Medications
- Take-Back Programs: Many pharmacies, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations offer take-back programs that allow people to safely dispose of their unused medications. These programs are the safest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of medications.
- Disposing of Medications at Home If you cannot participate in a take-back program: You can dispose of medications at home. Mix them with something unappealing like coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter. Then put the mixture in a sealed container or plastic bag and throw it in the trash.
- Flushing Medications Down the Toilet: In some cases, it may be necessary to flush medications down the toilet, but this should only be done if there are no other options. Flushing should only be used for certain medications and should be followed by immediately flushing the toilet several times. If your prescription is for any of the medications listed below and a drug collection site is not available, pour the leftovers down the sink or flush them down the toilet:
- Diazepam (Diastat/Diastat AcuDial) rectal gel
- Fentanyl (Actiq) lozenges
- Fentanyl (Duragesic) transdermal system (patches)
- Fentanyl (Fentora) tablets
- Fentanyl (Onsolis) soluble film
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) tablets or oral liquid
- Meperidine (Demerol) tablets or oral solution
- Methadone HCl (Dolophine, Methadose) oral solution or tablets
- Methylphenidate (Daytrana) patches
- Morphine sulfate (Avinza, Kadian, Oramorph SR) extended release capsules
- Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet, Percodan) tablets
- Oxymorphone (Opana, Opana ER) tablets
- Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) oral solution
Never Share Medications: It is important never to share medications with others, friends or family. Prescriptions are specifically tailored to the individuals need and can be dangerous or even deadly if taken by someone else.