Safe and Eco-friendly Medication Disposal

Did you know that National Prescription Drug Takeback Day was last Saturday, April 27? If you missed it, you don’t have to wait another year: it’s not too late to dispose of your unwanted/expired drugs. To help protect our waterways and drinking water, avoid flushing* your meds down the sink or toilet unless the patient label instructs you to do so. Here are three better options:

1. More than 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses, and even some police departments have year-round drop boxes where you can dispose of your unused prescription (including opioids like oxycodone) and over-the-counter meds. Find a year-round drop-off location here:
   https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1

2. If the drug is NOT a controlled drug (like an opioid), is unopened (still sealed), does not require refrigeration, and has at least 5 months left before it expires, consider donating it to an organization like Sirum that will send the drug to a community pharmacy or clinic that will dispense the medication free to someone who can’t afford it. Think about that drug you paid a hefty $50 or $100 or more co-pay for – but no longer take and doesn’t expire for almost another year. While pharmacies and nursing facilities can sign up for the service and provide meds in bulk, individuals can also donate by filling out a form. Donors are asked to pay $10 for the prepaid shipping packages which Sirum will send you to use to mail your medications.
   https://sirum.org/individuals/

3. You may also dispose of unwanted meds in the regular trash by following these FDA-recommended steps: Remove the pills, tablets, capsules (do not crush), or liquids from the container and mix it with an “undesirable” substance like used coffee grounds or kitty litter. Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the drug from leaking out of the garbage bag. Before throwing out your empty medicine containers and bottles, remove or scratch out identifying information from the labeling.  
   https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know

*Note:  to keep everyone in your home safe from accidental or intentional ingestion, the FDA recommends flushing drugs that contain opioids, which include any drug that contains the word buprenorphine, hydrocodone, meperidine, methadone, oxycodone, and tapentadol. Non-opioids recommended to flush include sodium oxybate and others. While this recommendation is questioned by some environmental groups, the FDA says the risk of harm outweighs potential risk to the environment.

Safe medication disposal and donation options Image source: FDA

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If you wear contact lenses (even the disposable kind), please make sure that you DO NOT flush them down the toilet or down the sink, as they also will pollute waterways and endanger aquatic life. Simply throw them into the trash instead.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/555129/why-you-should-never-flush-your-contacts-down-drain

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For some Earth Day thoughts on pharmaceuticals and the environment, check out this post by "Beyond Bio” author.

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