How do I dispose medicines that are expired?

Question

When they are expired, they are usually dangerous to touch.

Answer 1

You may not know whether the expired medicine you have is with hazardous wastes or not. So the best way to dispose expired medicines is to take them to a nearby pharmacy or bring them to one of the FREE Safe Medicine Disposal events for proper disposal.

There are health risks associated with expired prescriptions thrown in the trash. When you throw expired medicine in the trash, children and pets can get into these drugs and once in landfills, the drugs can trickle into groundwater.

Flushing expired medications down the drain used to be the common solution. However, according to a study conducted four years ago by the United States Geological Survey, 80 percent of 139 streams sampled across 30 states detected very low concentrations of chemicals commonly found in prescription drugs. Flushing expired drugs can kill helpful bacteria in septic systems and pass largely untouched through sewage treatment plants. Disposing of unwanted medicines down the drain or in toilets can harm aquatic life in the Bay and Pacifi c Ocean. Even
though wastewater is treated before it is discharged to the Bay and Pacific Ocean, wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove medications.♥

Answer 2

Most of have the immediate reaction to throw the stuff down the toilet or down the drain. However, we are now discovering the harmful effects of this to fish, foul flora and fauna. Most cities today have hazardous waste disposal sites. This is a very good option. However, you should be aware that some medications have a usable life beyond that of the date on the bottle. There are many poor who would and could use these medications. Especially allergy medicine, bronco-aid medications, and antibiotics. Check with local shelters and free clinics to see if they would be willing to take the medications for use by a patient that can't otherwise afford medications. I have said for sometime now that Free clinics are the best way to go. I personally cared for a friend who died of side affects of aids. All his belongings were donated to a clinic that specialized in aids prevention. I think he would be to know that he was able to help someone in the after life. Meds not used can be a great help in the hands of caring providers that will know shelf life beyond an expiration date. Pharmacutic industry sends its expired medication to Free clinics here and abroad and then claim credit for donations. This is somethin that we can not do but when one person sees the value of helping the less fortunate. Pay back comes back in more valuable ways.

Answer 3

There are several options. The first is to contact your pharmacy. Many pharmacies now have drug recycling programs in place. They'll take back your expired medication and see to it that they're disposed of in the proper manner. If your pharmacist doesn't take back your old drugs, he may have a recommendation.

Another option is to take any old pills and pulverize them. Return them to their child-safe container and place the container inside several thick zip lock plastic bags or a thick plastic container. This can now be tossed into the household trash. There are several problems with this method: Many people don't like to waste their bags and containers. In addition, there's still a chance the medicine can leak out and present a hazard. Besides, one thing we don't need is more landfill.

Since expired medicine is considered hazardous waste, it stands to reason it should be disposed as such. Contact your local hazardous waste facility to see its recommendations.

Answer 4

Garbage disposal, toilet, hazardous material disposal, or just plain thrown in the regular trash in a sandwich bag (double bagged in the original bottle so you don't have animals die from eating the medicine). Any way you can get rid of them that doesn't harm anyone or anything.

As for being dangerous to touch, most pills and such can't be absorbed through the skin in great enough quantities to do anything, but wash your hands when you're done if you're nervous about it.

Answer 5

You can take them to your local Household Hazardous Waste center. Flushing them down the toilet is not safe.

Answer 6

Take them back to your chemist [ pharmacy] Flushing them down the loo is not good, it introduces more harmful chemicals into the water system

Answer 7

YOU CAN STILL TAKE MEDS. 2-3 YRS OLD BUT IF THEY ARE CHEMO OR UNSTABLE NO.
NOW THEY ARE GOOD FOR A YEAR, AFTER THAT CALL YOUR PHAMACIST AND ASK THEM WHICH ARE FLUSHABLE. IF THEYRE SCHEDULE 2 NARCOTICS YOUR SUPPOSE TO CALL A DEA AGENT TO COUNT THEM MY DADS MEDS WHERE COUTED BY THE DEA YOU KNOW WHERE THEY PUT THEM? DOWN THE TOILET. SO TEAR YUR LABELS OFF B/C IF YOU TAKE VALIUM AND A FIEND LOOKS IN YOUR TRASH AND SEES THESE BOTTLES THEY COULD ROB YOU SO FLUSH LABELS AND SAFE PILLS. ASK YOUR PHARMASIST AGAIN WHICH ONES YOU COULD KEEP A LITTLE LONGER AND ASK WHAT THEYRE PROTOCOL ISFOR THEM DISPOSING OF THYRE MEDS.

Answer 8

The best thing to do to make sure that they don't get into the wrong hands is to flush them down the toilet.

Answer 9

You could flush them so nobody else gets ahold of them. Or you can just pitch them in the trash. Up to you, chief.

Answer 10

bah just pour them down a drain or threw them into the trash