You should get rid of unused or expired medicines as soon as possible. Storing unneeded medicines at home can be a risk for others who may take them by mistake or abuse them.
The best way to get rid of medicines is through a take back program or a site that will safely get rid of them.
- National Rx Take Back Days: In April and October, the Drug Enforcement Administration hosts a Take Back Day. To find dates and locations, visit www.deatakeback.com.
- Permanent drop-off sites: Some pharmacies and police stations offer drop-off boxes or mail-back programs that you can use at any time of the year at no cost. To find a site near you, visit https://bit.ly/disposallocationsites.
When a take back option is not available, you could have two options for getting rid of medicines at home:
- Flush disposal: Medicines that are highly abused or have a high risk of death should be flushed down the toilet and not thrown away in household trash. These include some opioid pain medicines, such as hydrocodone and fentanyl. To find the flush list, visit https://bit.ly/fdaflushlist.
- Household trash disposal: If the medicine is not on the flush list, follow these steps:
- Remove the medicine from the container.
- Mix the medicine with coffee grounds, dirt or cat litter.
- Place the mixture in a sealed bag and throw it away in the trash.
- Remove all personal information on the label of the empty medicine container.
To learn more about how to safely get rid of medicines, visit https://bit.ly/rxdisposallist.
Be sure to look over all your medicines with your doctor or pharmacist often. Throw away medicines as soon as you no longer need them.