Getting rid of old medicine

[lightman]

The Wife and I are unloading all of the kitchen cabinets for a remodel thats scheduled to start next week. In the process we have found some old prescription medicine. Do any of you have any experience getting rid of prescription medicine?

I understand that its a No No to flush it down the drain. I don't understand exactly why but I want to be legal and proper. I also don't want to harm the environment.

None of this is pain killers or muscle relaxers or such but it is prescription. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[The Governor]

Dissolve in old coffee grounds and put in trash.

[Markopolo]

Burn barrel.??

[lefty o]

lots of cityhalls/police dept or sheriffs offices have drop boxes for getting rid of old prescriptions.

[Traffer]

I believe you can take it to a pharmacy or a doctors office. They have stuff to dissolve it. You could call a pharmacy ...they would tell you what to do.

[Hickory]

Burn them with a brush burner.

[Butler Ford]

I agree with turning them to a medical facility or pharmacy. Call your sheriffs office, they'll know where/how to dispose of it locally.

[starmac]

What environmental harm is it going to do with just putting it in the trash? I would not want to take any medicine that is going to harm the earth.

[lightman]

What environmental harm is it going to do with just putting it in the trash? I would not want to take any medicine that is going to harm the earth.

I gotta agree with you but I understand that its a No No.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll check with the PD and the local Pharmacy. We know the Pharmacist personally. Probably going to wait until we get completely finish cleaning out everything.

I went through 55 years of my 61 year life before having a regular medicine that I took everyday. My Wife, on the other hand has been on various things for a long while. I didn't realize that we had so much stuff!

[daloper]

We took some to the State Police building when we moved my in-laws into assisted living. They had a barrel with a one way top so you could put the m in but not get them out.

[Bazoo]

Walgreens will dispose of it for you. I think cvs will too. At my walgreens there is a disposal box in the lobby of the pharmacy part. The uses cvs and I believe they take it, but I'm not sure if they have a drop box.

[Traffer]

This may be helpful: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesF.../ucm186187.htm

[Sig556r]

I understand that its a No No to flush it down the drain. I don't understand exactly why but I want to be legal and proper. I also don't want to harm the environment.

You mean those junkies in the movies flushing their stuff in the toilet to avoid incriminating evidence ain't real?

[salpal48]

Trash

[T_McD]

Dissolve in old coffee grounds and put in trash.

This^. Burn barrel also a good idea.

[Shawlerbrook]

Yes, check with your local medical facilities, pharmacies or even your local solid waste disposal agency. Some have drop boxes, some have special days or events. For us who live in rural areas and depend on groundwater this is very important.

[Hossfly]

All state police take it around here.

[country gent]

One of the problems isn't it hurt the earth but it may kill off the bacteria needed in septic and leach fields. A lot of places may take it for proper disposal. Police dept., Pharmacies, Doctors offices, Hospitals, urgent care centers. Call your county offices and ask there the will guide you to the right place.

[Hannibal]

Depending upon where you are, some municipalities recycle the water and have trace amounts of drugs in the water supply.

I think So Cal used to have a big problem with this. Might have figured out a solution by now . . . (?)

[JSnover]

Even if your trash goes to an incinerator there's no guarantee of public safety. A power plant near me was raided last year after it was discovered that some employees were 'liberating' meds and selling them back to street dealers.