Janet Schiesl
Basic Organization
Did you know you can responsibly dispose of expired medicine?
When you throw unused or expired medicine in the trash or flush it down the toilet it ends up in our rivers and streams. Don’t do this! Protect our environment.
Contact your local pharmacy and ask if they will safely dispose of your old medication. Or gather all your old medication and visit an American Medicine Chest Challenge location near you.
The FDA website asks “Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Your medicine is for you. What’s safe for you might be harmful to someone else. The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take-back program.”
“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide. Many communities also have their own drug take-back programs. Check with your local law enforcement officials to find a location near you or with the DEA to find a DEA-authorized collector in your community.”
For more information about how the FDA suggests you dispose of expired medicine read this article.
If you must dispose of expired medicine then the American Pharmacists Association recommends these steps for safely disposing of medication.
- Keep the medication in its original container to identify the contents.
- Cross out your name and prescription number for safety.
- For pills, add salt water to dissolve them.
- For liquids, add cat litter or dirt.
- Seal the container and secure it with duct tape.
Every little bit helps in protecting our environment.
For more information, contact Janet Schiesl.
