The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) says that consumers shouldn’t just assume that it’s okay to toss all used/expired medications in the trash or flush them down the toilet. Instead, different types of pills need to be disposed
In fact, did you you know that there are only about a dozen drugs, such as narcotic pain relievers, that the FDA says is okay to flush?
Why is Proper Medication Disposal So Important?
Throwing away medication in the wrong way can increase the dangers of unintentional use or illegal abuse, either by other adults or by young children.
6 Steps For Medication Disposal
Here are some safe steps to follow each and every time you have medicine to throw away:
- For the sake of privacy, removing any identifying information from the bottle before throwing it away.
- Follow the disposal guidelines noted on the bottle or patient information sheet, if available.
- Never flush prescriptions drugs unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, the bottle or the patient information sheet.
- Whenever possible, crush pills or capsules or dissolve them in water. This will help prevent someone else from using them, either unintentionally or deliberately.
- If you can’t crush them, remove pills from their containers and place them deeper inside of the trash. Or, mix them with garbage content that no one would want to touch.
If you have any questions or concerns about medication disposal, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
