How to Properly Dispose of Prescription Drugs

Disposing properly of prescription drugs is important. Flushing the wrong ones down the toilet can contaminate the water supply. Certain drugs should not be put in the garbage either, since they may be retrieved by children and swallowed, or can break down in a landfill and contaminate the ground. It is essential, then, to dispose of unused medication in a way that ensures no toxins will be introduced to your environment and the living things in it.

Things You'll Need

• Unused prescription drugs
• Plastic bag
• Coffee grounds or kitty litter

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Instructions

How to Dispose of Prescription Drugs

• 1

  Unless otherwise stated on the package, throw the drug into the trash in a sealed plastic bag. Combine the pills with an unappealing substance, such as coffee grounds or kitty litter, to prevent children and pets from ingesting the pills should they discover them.

• 2

  Flush liquid medications down the toilet, but only if it says that it is safe do so on the label or your pharmacist has confirmed that this is an acceptable method of disposal. This is being increasingly discouraged to prevent medications from entering and contaminating the water supply, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is only recommended for medications that would place children or pets at immediate and serious risk after swallowing them.

• 3

  Dispose of the drugs at a hazardous waste depot. This is required for only for certain medications. Check the label of the drug, call your pharmacist or phone your municipality for more information about these drugs.

• 4

  Take advantage of a "drug take-back day" in your community. Some places provide this service, through which you can drop off unused medications so that trained personnel can disposed of them safely. Call your municipality to find out if this service is available in your area.

• 5

  Before throwing out the medication's container, scrape your name and other identifying information off the label to protect your privacy. Your medical history is your own and your doctor's and pharmacist's business, not the public's.