How Should I Dispose of My Drugs Safely?

Many people wonder how to properly dispose of their prescription drugs.  Never flush your prescription drugs down a toilet or place in the sink.  Just return your unused drugs to the pharmacy, or follow these simple instructions:

• Keep the medicines in their original containers.  This will help identify the contents if they are accidentally ingested.
• Cross our your name and prescription number for safety.
• For pills:  add some salt water to start dissolving them.
• For liquids:  add something inedible, like cat litter, dirt or ash.
• Seal the container and secure with duct tape or packing tape.
• Put the container in the trash as close to pickup time as possible.  Do NOT put in the recycling bin.

For further information, please consult the following publications:

• www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/drug_disposal062308.html
• www.deq.virginia.gov/vpdes/Microconstituents.html