Proper Medication Disposal Program
The Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) developed the Proper Medication Disposal Program to provide Utah households an alternative to flushing medications. The program provides grants to law enforcement agencies to install permanent medication collection bins in the lobby of their buildings to collect unused over-the-counter and prescription medications from Utah households. All medications are handled according to the law enforcement agency’s evidence protocols and are incinerated at UDEQ permitted incinerators.
The Proper Medication Disposal Program was developed in compliance with all state and federal solid and hazardous waste regulations (often referred to as RCRA) as well as the Controlled Substance Act. As such, medications can only be collected from households at law enforcement agencies or at special medication take-back events where law enforcement officers are present to take possession of the medications. This program cannot accept medications from doctor or veterinarian offices or clinics, long term care facilities, hospitals, or other medical facilities.
To augment the permanent collection sites UDEQ sponsors special community medication take-back "Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet" events. "Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet" is a partnership with the University of Utah Poison Control Center, law enforcement agencies and multiple other event specific local partners including local health departments, substance abuse and recycling coalitions, retail pharmacies, health clinics, water and sewer utilities and other interested parties.
Additionally, several local health departments and recycling coalitions sponsor household hazardous waste community collection events and have expanded some of these events to include unused medications. Again because of the strict laws governing prescription medications, law enforcement officers are present at these events to collect medications and process them through their evidence department and protocols, which include destruction of the drugs through incineration. It is important to check to see if medications will collected at these events because collections do not occur at all events.
Additional Links and Resources
- Pharmaceutical Waste Management - Issues and Options for Health Systems
- Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A Discussion Guide for Health-System Pharmacists
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