April 30, 2011, is the 2nd national Prescription Drug Take-Back Day for dropping off unwanted medications!
There has been a lot of talk about how to properly dispose of unwanted or expired medications, both over-the-counter remedies and prescription drugs. Our parents’ and grandparents’ generations were taught to throw them in the toilet to prevent them from being misused. However, studies now show traces of medications in water we drink, and we’re starting to see effects from accumulated medical chemicals in wild animals and fish. So there have been more public discussions on how to properly dispose of old drugs.
Despite the difficulties of medicine disposal, it is still important to clean out your medicine cabinets once in a while. As part of Spring Cleaning month, check your vitamins, aspirin and cold medicine to make sure they’re still current. Place anything that has expired or is no longer needed in a separate bag for proper disposal. Some experts recommend smashing old pills and sealing them in Ziploc bags when throwing them out, but this is not a perfect solution to the problem because the medication may still leach into the ground once it gets to the landfill. Pills that you no longer use but that haven’t expired can be donated to some non-profit clinics for patients who can use them. Since not all clinics accept medicines, however, I recommend calling before bringing over your donations to make sure they would take them.
To help solve the disposal problem, the Office of Diversion Control (part of the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration) sponsors a National Take-Back Initiative Collection and has created a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The 2nd annual Take-Back Day falls on Saturday, April 30, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Click here to enter your zip code to find the nearest location to drop off medications for safe disposal.
By getting rid of unused medications, you’re decluttering your medicine collection and increasing safety in your home, especially if you have children. Proper disposal helps the earth as well, by keeping chemicals out of the water we drink.
For more information on the National Take-Back Initiative Collection, click here.
Thanks to Lieba, who informed me that you can buy a mailer at any Walgreens (the cost is $2.99 in MA; not sure about other states) to mail expired and unwanted medicines to a headquarters (supported by different organizations) that will dispose of them properly. Just ask for the mailer in the pharmacy department.
To find the nearest participating pharmacies nearby.