The Disposal of Drugs – Getting rid of your unused and outdated prescription and over the counter drugs
Outdated medications need to be disposed of in a safe manner and not just flushed down the drain or thrown into the trash. Inappropriate disposal can contaminate water supplies and poses a hazard to both humans and wildlife. Moreover, retaining these medications in unsecured places can invite accidental poising and improper use. With some medications it can result in addiction and even drug trafficking when sold on the street.
Recently, the Cincinnati Enquirer partnered with local law enforcement agencies to add 10 secure prescription drug drop boxes (locked boxes resembling mail boxes) in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky to the 25 already in place in Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clermont, Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties. The 10 new locations are: Anderson Township at 7954 Beechmont Ave, Cincinnati at 310 Ezzard Charles Drive, Colerain Township: at 11021 Hamilton Ave, Loveland at 126 S. Lebanon Road, Milford at 745 Center St, Norwood at 4701 Montgomery Road, Reading at 1000 Market St., Springfield Township at 1130 Compton Road and Symmes Township at 8871 Weekly Lane.
Residents without ID and no questions asked can place prescription medicines including controlled substances, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements and pet medicines in these locked drop boxes. The types of drugs that can be deposited include aerosols, blister packs, capsules, creams, gels, inhalers liquids, patches, pills, and powders. The medicines, if possible, should be brought for deposit in their original containers, although they may also be placed in a quart-sized plastic bag.
Items that should not be placed in these locked boxes include: Needles, syringes or sharps, thermometers, bandages, medical equipment, empty pill bottles or hazardous waste from medical offices or treatment facilities.
The most important unused prescription drugs to remove from your medicine cabinet include:
- Painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet,Tylenol with codeine and OxyContin
- Depressants such as Xanax, Valium, Barbiturates, any Benzodiazepine
- Stimulants such as Ritalin, Concerta, any Amphetamine derivative
- Antidepressants such as Prozac
- Antipsychotics such as Haldol
For more information, review the reference sources below.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors a national drug take back program. Visit their website to find a drop off location close to you:
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html - National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) has the Rx Drug Drop Box Program which is a year round drop off program that accepts any pills, capsules, patches whether Rx or over the counter. No needles or liquids accepted. Visit this link for drop-off locations:http://rxdrugdropbox.org/
- CVS pharmacy announced that all 7,200 of its locations now offer the Sharps Compliance Inc. medication disposal system, which allows customers to dispose unused or expired medication. The postage-paid envelopes cost $3.99 each and allow customers to mail their unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications to Sharp Compliance’s Texas facility for disposal.
- Kroger offers the The TakeAway Environmental Returns System™ for $2.99 at your Kroger Pharmacy. Use the envelopes to put unused or expired prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs into it, seal and mail it through the U.S. Postal Service.
Additional Tips:
- Follow any specific disposal instructions on the prescription drug labeling or patient information that accompanies the medicine. Do not flush medicines down the sink or toilet unless this information specifically instructs you to do so.
- If no disposal instructions are given on the prescription drug labeling and no take-back program is available in your area, throw the drugs in the household trash following these steps. 1. Remove them from their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter (this makes the drug less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through the trash seeking drugs). 2. Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the drug from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.
- When in doubt about proper disposal, talk to your pharmacist.