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How to Prepare and Dispose Medications
Before Disposing Medications...
*** It is important that you do not include any personal information when disposing medications ***
*** Each takeback program may have specific rules - please follow their guidelines ***
Tablets and capsules
Put the pills in a sealable bag (e.g., Ziploc bag).
De-identify (i.e., cross out with a black marker) any personal information on the bottle.
Injectable medications
Epinephrine Auto-Injector (EpiPen, etc.)
Dispose expired, unwanted, or unused epinephrine pens in a FDA-cleared sharps container or a household container*. Do not throw away in household trash.
* Household containers should be made of heavy-duty plastic that can be closed with a tight-fitting and puncture-resistant lid (e.g., laundry detergent bottle
*** California residents *** - Other injectable medications (e.g., insulin pens/vials)
California law requires a pharmaceutical manufacturer that sells/distributes self-injected medication to provide a plan that describes how the manufacturer supports the safe collection and proper disposal of the waste devices. Many pharmaceutical companies offer free medication disposal services.
SafeNeedleDisposal.org provides a list, where you are able look up if your medication is eligible for takeback through the manufacturer.
Vaginal hormonal rings
Used rings still contain some active hormones. Do not flush any vaginal rings down the toilet
NuvaRing
Put the used ring in its original aluminum packaging and throw it away in the regular trash. This will make it less likely that the medication leaks out to the environment.
Annovera
Place the used ring in the compact case. Discard the ring through a drug take-back option, if possible. If a drug take-back program is not available, throw it in the regular trash.
Estradiol (Estring, etc.)
Throw away the used ring in the regular trash
Transdermal patches
Hormonal patches (Xulane, Zafemy, Dotti, Climara, etc.)
Used patches still contain some active hormones. Carefully fold the old patch in half so that it sticks together, seal it in a plastic bag, and throw it in the trash. By putting the used patches in the bag, this helps prevent any hormones left in the patch from getting into the soil and water. Do not flush it down the toilet.
Lidocaine patches (Lidoderm, Salonpas, etc.)
Fold used patches so that the sticky side sticks to itself, then throw away in the trash
*** Patches that include opioid medications may be appropriate to be flushed down the toilet. Please see below or please visit here to learn more ***
Fentanyl patches
Once the fentanyl patch is removed, immediately fold it on itself, sticky side together, and flush the used fentanyl patch down the toilet. Do not throw away in the regular trash. By flushing it down the toilet, this prevents children and pets to come in contact with it.
Fentanyl is a very strong opioid pain medication - 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. A small amount of fentanyl can cause harm to a person who is not used to taking this medication.
People may accidently get in contact with the medication if the fentanyl patches are not thrown away correctly. In fact, accidental exposures and deaths have actually happened due to fentanyl patches not being disposed properly!
Buprenorphine patches (Butrans)
There are two ways:
Use the disposal unit that comes with the patches
1) Peel back the disposal unit liner to show the sticky surface
2) Place the sticky side of the patch to the indicated area on the disposal unit
3) Close the disposal unit by folding the sticky sides together. Press firmly and smoothly over the entire disposal unit
4) The closed disposal unit (patch sealed inside) may be thrown away in the trash.
* Never put used buprenorphine patches in the trash without first sealing them in the disposal unit *Flush it down the toilet
Fold the sticky sides of a used patch together and flush it down the toilet right away
Medication Drop-off Locations
Please use the following resources to find where you can drop off unwanted medications
Drug Disposal: Drug Take Back Locations
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)Drug Disposal
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
FDA Flush List
Medicines that are on the FDA's flush list are those...
sought-after for their misuse and/or abuse potential
can result in death from one dose if inappropriately taken
If children, adults, or pets in your home accidentally or intentionally ingest, touch, misuse, or abuse a medicine on the flush list, they can suffer serious consequences including death.
The best way to throw away unwanted medications is to find a drug take back location. These location may be found in pharmacies and/or law enforcement facilities.
If you do not have access to a drug take back location near you, check this FDA's flush list to see if your medication is on the list. Flushing such medications helps keep everyone in your home safe by making sure these powerful and potentially dangerous medicines (when used inappropriately) are not accidentally or intentionally ingested, touched, misused, or abused.
Remember, only flush medicines on the flush list if a take-back option is not readily available.
Disclaimer
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