Pharmaceutical Disposal

The industry estimates that 3% of the prescriptions written in the US are unused. Medicines reach waterways from being flushed down the toilet into sewers and septic systems, and being trashed resulting in landfill leachate that reaches surface water or infiltrates groundwater. The two most concerning impacts from drug disposal are hormone disruption in fish and other animals, and creating bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.


Once a year, the City holds pharmaceutical take back day, so try to keep your pharmaceuticals until the next event. However, if you cannot wait for the next collection day, see the federal guidelines for disposal.


pharmaceuticals
Federal Guidelines for Disposal
  1. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet or drain.
  2. Take your medicines out of their original containers. 
  3. Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds. 
  4. Put this mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag. 
  5. Conceal or remove any personal information, including Rx number, on the empty containers by covering it with black permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it off. 
  6. Place the sealed container with the mixture, and the empty drug containers, in the trash.
 

 

Contact
Please contact Jannette Whitcomb at 970-920-5069 with any pharmaceutical disposal questions.