Safe and easy ways to dispose of unused medications

Safe and easy ways to dispose of unused medications

Is your medicine cabinet full of expired medicines or medications you no longer use? The best way to dispose of most types of expired, unwanted, or unused medications is through a drug take-back program.

To discard your prescription or over-the-counter medications, you can:

• Lassen Sie sie an einem Drogen-Nake-Back-Standort abgeben.
• Senden Sie sie mit einem Prepaid-Drogen-Mail-Back-Umschlag.

If you cannot use these options, follow these guidelines:

• Wenn sich Ihre Medizin auf der Flush -Liste der US -amerikanischen Food and Drug Administration befindet, spülen Sie diese potenziell gefährlichen Medikamente auf der Toilette.
• Wenn sich Ihr Arzneimittel nicht auf der Spülenliste befindet, befolgen Sie die folgenden Anweisungen, um sie zu Hause zu verwerfen.

Drug take-back options

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sponsors the national prescription drug in communities across the country. Many communities also have their own drug take-back events. Check with your local law enforcement officials to locate a location near you or with the DEA to locate a DEA authorized collector in your community.

Some pharmacies offer on-site medication delivery, which can help with kiosks, mail-back programs and other options for medication safety.

Use prepaid drug mail-back envelopes

A prepaid drug mail-back envelope is a convenient and safe disposal option. These envelopes are sold in various locations including retail pharmacies and online. Some pharmacies offer them free of charge.

To use Prepaid Drug Mail-Back Envelope:

1. Füllen Sie den Umschlag mit Ihren ungenutzten oder abgelaufenen Medikamenten und versiegeln Sie ihn.
2. Mailen Sie den Umschlag mit dem US -Postdienst.

How to relieve medication at home

If a take-back option is not readily available, there are two options for disposing of medications at home, depending on the medication.

Flushing medication:Because some medications can be particularly harmful to others, they have special instructions to immediately flush them down the sink or toilet when no longer needed, and a take-back option is not readily available.

How do you know? Check the label or patient information leaflet with your medicine. Or, refer to the list of medications recommended for disposal by flushing if an "extension" option is not readily available. Remember, do not flush your medicine unless it is on the flush list.

Dispose of medication in household waste:If a take-back option is not available, almost all medications, except those on the FDA flush list, can be thrown away in your household trash. These include prescription and OTC medications in pills, liquids, drops, patches, and creams.

Follow the following steps:

1. Entfernen Sie die Medikamente aus ihren ursprünglichen Behältern und mischen Sie sie mit etwas Unerwünschbarem, z. B. gebrauchte Kaffeegelände, Schmutz oder Katzenstreu. Dies macht die Medizin für Kinder und Haustiere weniger ansprechend – und für jemanden, der absichtlich den Müll sucht, nicht wiederzuerkennen.
2. Legen Sie die Mischung in etwas, das Sie schließen können (eine wiederverschließbare Reißverschlussbeutel, leere Dose oder einen anderen Behälter), um zu verhindern, dass das Medikament austritt oder herausspringt.
3. Werfen Sie den Behälter zu Hause in den Müll.
4. Kratzen Sie alle Ihre persönlichen Daten zur leeren Medizinverpackung aus, um Ihre Identität und Privatsphäre zu schützen. Wirf die Verpackung weg.
   Wenn Sie eine Frage zu Ihrer Medizin haben, stellen Sie Ihren medizinischen Fachmann oder Apotheker.

Dispose of fentanyl stains

The fentanyl patch is an example of a product that contains a powerful opioid medicine that may be dangerous to people for whom it is not prescribed. This adhesive patch delivers powerful pain medicine through the skin.

Even after a patch is used, many of the medications remain. That's why the medication comes with instructions for flushing used or leftover stains.

Discard inhaler products

One environmental concern concerns inhalers used by people with asthma or other breathing problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Read handling instructions for labeling inhalers and aerosol products.

These products could be dangerous if punctured or thrown into a fire or incinerator. To properly dispose of these products and follow local regulations and laws, contact your garbage and recycling facility.

Discard other products

Visit the FDA Medication Q&A for more information about disposing of needles, syringes, and other products. Some medications with unusual dosage forms—for example, sprays and sucks—have specific disposal instructions.

Check the instructions that came with your prescription or contact your doctor about how to properly dispose of these medications.

Flushing medications and the water supply

Some people wonder if it's OK to flush certain medications. There are concerns about low levels of the drug found in surface water such as rivers and lakes, as well as drinking water supplies.

The main way drug residues enter water systems is when people ingest medications and then pass them naturally through their bodies. Many drugs are not fully absorbed or metabolized (broken down) by the body and can enter the environment after passing through wastewater treatment plants.

The FDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency take concerns about certain medications being flushed into the environment seriously. Nevertheless, there were no signs of environmental effects caused by flushing recommended medications. In fact, the FDA published a paper to assess this issue and found the negligible risk of environmental effects caused by flushing recommended medications.

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