Getting Rid of stuff
Find a Local Medicine Collection Event or Program
Thank you for choosing to get rid of your unwanted medicines safely. Septic systems and most wastewater treatment plants are not designed to fully remove pharmaceuticals from the water, which means that the chemicals get released into rivers and lakes where they can contaminate water and harm aquatic wildlife. And medicine placed in the trash eventually reaches the water too, because over time they seep out into the ground or are pumped out and sent to wastewater treatment plants. Currently, medicine take-back programs are the safest way to dispose of unused medicine.
The collection programs listed below are able to accept your unused medications, safely and securely store them, and destroy them via high-heat incineration. There is currently no national standard for medicine collections programs, so each program works somewhat differently. Some programs, such as the Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal (P2D2) program, are specifically dedicated to medicine collection, while others accept unused medicine from households as part of larger household hazardous waste collection programs. Typically, collections accept unwanted or expired medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter medications. Programs that work with local law enforcement are able to accept controlled substances. All of the programs listed below are for residential sources of pharmaceuticals only; they are not allowed to accept material from businesses.
Medicine Collections in the U.S.
There is not currently a comprehensive list of all medicine collection programs active in the United States. Try the following sites to see if they have information that covers your area. If your town is not listed, call your pharmacy or police department to find out if there are any local take-back programs.
Earth 911
Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal (P2D2) Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Community Pharmacists Association
Medicine Collections in the Great Lakes States
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
New York Department of Environmental Conservation
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Starting a Residential Medicine Collection Program in Your Community
The Disposal of Unwanted Medicines Toolkit can help you start a program in your community. For further information, contact Laura Kammin.
