Medication Safety: Side Effects, Medication Disposal, Expiration Dates, and More
Medication Safety: Side Effects, Medication Disposal, Expiration Dates, and More
When medications have passed their expiration dates, disposing of them will protect you and others in your home from consuming a medication that may have become ineffective or even toxic. Disposing of medications properly will help protect the environment, as well as pets, children, and anyone who might find medicines in your trash.
Before flushing old medicines down the toilet or tossing them in a trash can, check if your city or county has a medicine take-back program. These are programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal. Call your city or county government’s household trash and recycling service (see blue pages in phone book or go to your municipality's website) or check with your pharmacy to see if a take-back program is available in your community. While experts used to recommend flushing old medication down the toilet, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends against this because sewage plants may not be able to adequately remove drug ingredients from the water.
The FDA recommends flushing only if the drug label or accompanying information has instructions to do so. These are usually medicines that are very dangerous or fatal if they are taken by the wrong person, or if they are found by a child or pet. This includes the following medications:
Other medications that should be flushed can be found on the FDA’s website. Most other drugs can be disposed of with your household garbage. When throwing away medications in the trash, follow these medication disposal guidelines:
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Dispose of Old Medications Properly
When medications have passed their expiration dates, disposing of them will protect you and others in your home from consuming a medication that may have become ineffective or even toxic. Disposing of medications properly will help protect the environment, as well as pets, children, and anyone who might find medicines in your trash.
Before flushing old medicines down the toilet or tossing them in a trash can, check if your city or county has a medicine take-back program. These are programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal. Call your city or county government’s household trash and recycling service (see blue pages in phone book or go to your municipality's website) or check with your pharmacy to see if a take-back program is available in your community. While experts used to recommend flushing old medication down the toilet, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends against this because sewage plants may not be able to adequately remove drug ingredients from the water.
The FDA recommends flushing only if the drug label or accompanying information has instructions to do so. These are usually medicines that are very dangerous or fatal if they are taken by the wrong person, or if they are found by a child or pet. This includes the following medications:
- fentanyl buccal tablets (Fentora)
- fentanyl citrate (Actiq)
- fentanyl transdermal system (Duragesic)
- hydromorphone hydrochloride (Dilaudid)
- meperidine HCL tablets (Demerol)
- methylphenidate transdermal patch (Daytrana)
- morphine sulfate capsules (Avinza, MS Contin)
- oxycodone and acetaminophen (Percocet)
- oxycodone tablets (OxyContin)
- sodium oxybate (Xyrem)
Other medications that should be flushed can be found on the FDA’s website. Most other drugs can be disposed of with your household garbage. When throwing away medications in the trash, follow these medication disposal guidelines:
- Remove drugs from their original containers and remove or scratch out identifying information from container labels.
- Do NOT crush pills or capsules.
- Mix medications with kitty litter, saw dust, coffee grounds, or another substance that will absorb them and make them undesirable.
- Put drug mixture into a sealable plastic bag or bottle with a screw-on lid and place in trash.
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