Safely dispose of your unused or expired medications

Proper disposal of unused or expired medications can protect you and your loved ones against drug misuse and reduce the risk of others taking medications accidentally. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day occurs each year in April and October. The next-take back day is October 26, 2024, and drug collection sites will be set up in communities nationwide for safe disposal of prescription drugs.

Find a collection site near you by searching by zip code or county/city/state. If the set dates don’t work for you, there are disposal locations open year round. Before disposing of prescription medications, remove all personal information on prescription bottle labels and medication packaging. Your medications will be destroyed after dropping them off.

Safely dispose of medications at home

If a drug-take back program is not available near you, you can safely dispose of most medications, except those on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Flush List, at home.1 If your medication is not on the FDA’s Flush List:

• Remove your prescription drugs from their original containers and mix your medication with an undesirable substance like dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds. Do not crush pills.
• Place the mixture in a container like a sealable plastic bag and throw away the container in the trash.
• Remove any personal information from medication containers, including prescription numbers, before throwing them away.

Review the FDA’s guidelines for appropriate disposal of medications here.

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  Consult state regulations prior to flushing any medications. Some states may have local laws against flushing medications.