How Do I Dispose Expired Prescription Medication?
How To Dispose of Expired Medication
Every day countless prescriptions go unused—but what happens when they’ve outlived their shelf life? Disposing medications properly is important to reducing harm from accidental exposure or intentional misuse. While some people simply dispose of their medications in a garbage unit, this can be an unsafe practice for disposing potentially hazardous waste. Dispose expired medicine safely to protect yourself, your community, and your environment.
One recommended way to dispose of your medications safely is by finding a medicine take-back program. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) periodically hosts National Prescription Drug Take-Back events throughout the year in communities nationwide for safe disposal of prescription drugs.
You can also contact your local law enforcement and waste management authorities to find out if they have ongoing programs in place for periodic medication disposal options in your area.
Why Can’t I Use My Expired Medicine?
While your prescription helped you get better at the time, they pose risks when they have passed their expiration date. Once expired, the medications are less effective and are a health risk due to a change in the chemical composition.
Using certain medications has the potential to have bacterial growth, creating a more serious illness. Antibiotics that are not at their full effectiveness can fail to treat infections, but can also lead to making the user resistant to antibiotics. Do not use your medicine after it has expired. There is no guarantee that the medicine is safe or effective once the date has passed. Dispose expired medicine safely with a medicine take-back program or by following the steps below.
What Do I Do When There Are No Medicine Take-Back Programs Around?
In the event you miss a medicine take-back day, but still have prescriptions needing disposal, you can follow the guidelines provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for disposing of your medications at home.
The FDA recommends you follow the below steps for disposing your medications in a household trash:
1.Mix medications (do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, kitty litter, or used coffee grounds
2.Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag
3.Throw the container in your household trash
4.Scratch out all personal information on the prescription label of your empty bottles or packaging to make it unreadable, then dispose of the container
You can read more about how to dispose of your medications properly on the Everyday Health website.
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