Why are Unused Prescription and
Over-the-Counter Medications a Concern?
The Problem is Two-Fold:
- Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals and over the counter drugs are present in our nation's waterbodies and certain drugs may cause ecological harm. Outdated or unusable drugs that are disposed of by flushing or pouring down a sink, enter the environment because wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove them;
- Storing unused or outdated prescriptions creates an opportunity for illicit use. One in five teens report intentionally misusing someone else's prescription drugs to get high. Nearly half say they get the medications from friends and relatives for free, often by raiding the medicine cabinet or by attending "pharming parties" where teens barter legal drugs and get high.
What Should I do with my Unused Medications?
DO NOT FLUSH! DO NOT POUR!
Prescription, or over the counter medications, should not be flushed down the toilet or poured down a sink. Follow these guidelines to dispose of these products properly:
- First, check with your police department to see if they have a drug collection program. Both the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake County Sherriff’s Office each have established a proper disposal program, click hear for locations;
- Second, check to see if your community household hazardous waste program collects medications (they must have law enforcement officials present); and
- Lastly, if no collection options exist, follow these steps:
- Remove all personal identification from prescription bottles;
- Mix all unused drugs with coffee grounds, kitty litter, or another undesirable substance, and/or
- Place this mixture in a sealed container before disposing in the trash.
Proper Pharmaceutical Drug Disposal Brochures
- Proper Disposal Brochure, Front
(4.95 mb) - Proper Disposal Brochure, Back (5.91 mb)
Additional Links and Resources
- Pharmaceutical Waste Management - Issues and Options for Health Systems
- Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A Discussion Guide for Health-System Pharmacists
* Note: Some of the files on this page require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
This website is sponsored by the following agencies:
- Utah Poison Control Center
- Salt Lake City Public Utilities and Police Departments
- Utah Department of Health
- Salt Lake Valley Health Department
- Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office
- Utah Department of Environmental Quality
