Wellness Club — Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet
Abingdon, VA. -
Monday, Apr 1, 2019.
by Rebecca Webb, PharmD Pharmacy Clinical Services Manager, K-VA-T Food Stores
Spring is finally here and that means time for spring cleaning. While you are thoroughly cleaning your home, do not forget to clean out your medicine cabinet as well. This is a great time to remove any unused, unwanted, or expired medications. The safe disposal of these medications is an important task that should be done on a routine basis.
Why is it important to properly dispose of your unused, unwanted, or expired medications in a timely manner?
• It prevents others, such as children or pets, from unintentionally taking these medications.
• It deters drug diversion when other individuals intentionally take these medications.
• It helps to avoid medication misuse, such as accidentally taking the wrong medication, taking too much of a medication, or taking an expired medication.
• It lessens the environmental impact when medications are appropriately disposed.
What are the best ways to safely and properly dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications?
• Drug take-back options are the preferred choice.
• Disposal in household trash following specific steps is another option for many medications.
• For certain potentially harmful medications, flushing in the toilet is recommended when drug take-back options are unavailable.
What are drug take-back options?
Drug take-back options fall into two main categories: periodic events and permanent collection sites.
• Periodic events:
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supports drug take-back events with temporary collection sites in communities all across the nation. The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 27th. Ask your local Food City pharmacist or visit the DEA National Prescription Take Back Day website to locate an event collection site near you.2 Local law enforcement may also host medication take-back programs in your area. Check with these agencies to ask about events happening in your community.
• Permanent collection sites:
Certain retail pharmacies and law enforcement locations in your area may have authorized collection sites or DEA-registered collectors. Talk with your local Food City pharmacist or visit the DEA Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations website for authorized collectors near you.1
What are medication disposal options when drug take-back events and authorized collection sites are unavailable?
When drug take-back events and authorized collection sites are not available, and the medication does not have specific disposal instructions, the medication can be disposed of in your household trash following these steps:
1. Take the medication out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance, such as coffee grounds, cat litter, or dirt.
2. Place the mixture in a disposable container, such as a sealable plastic bag.
3. Remove all personal identifying information from the prescription label on the empty medication bottle or medication packaging.
4. Throw the sealed container with the mixture and the empty medication bottle or medication packaging in your household trash.
What if the medication has specific disposal instructions?
Certain medications may come with specific disposal instructions. When take-back options are unavailable, these medications should be disposed of per the specified instructions. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a list of medications that it recommends to promptly flush in the toilet, when a take-back event is not an option. These medications can be especially harmful to individuals other than for whom the medications were prescribed. The FDA has concluded that flushing these particular medications presents a minimal risk to our environment. Ask your local Food City pharmacist or visit the FDA’s website for a list of these medications.3
Ask your local Food City pharmacist for more information on safe medication disposal and the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
