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Safe Medication Disposal

There are two permanent drop boxes in Lenoir County. One is located in the lobby at the Kinston Department of Public Safety and the other is located at the Realo Pharmacy of Pink Hill. Plans are underway for adding additional permanent drop boxes in our area.

It is important to get rid of medicine that has expired or is no longer needed. There is no set rule for disposing of all medicine, so talk to your community pharmacist about the best way to get rid of unused or unwanted medicine in your home. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration’s website at www.fda.gov and search for “Rx drug disposal.”

Safeguarding Prescription Medicine

Safeguarding prescription medicine properly is easy once you know what to do, and it’s important for the health and safety of your family and others who come into your home.

If medicine is not stored properly, there can be serious consequences:

  • The medicine may get into the wrong hands if a family member or visitor takes it without your knowledge. They may use it incorrectly to try to treat a medical condition — or worse, they may abuse it.
  • Heat, humidity, or changes in temperature may damage the medicine.1
  • Children or pets may be accidentally poisoned by ingesting easily accessible medicine.

If you have prescription medicine in your home, it is your responsibility to properly safeguard and dispose of it.

How to Dispose of Medications Properly2,3

DON’T: Flush expired or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs down the toilet or drain unless the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so.

DO: Return unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs, to a drug drop box/take-back program or follow the steps for household disposal below.

1st CHOICE: DRUG TAKE BACK EVENTS4,5

In North Carolina, many communities now have year-round drop boxes where prescription and over-the-counter medications can be placed for safe disposal. Lenoir County has an operation medicine drop off location at the Kinston Police Department, located at 205 East King Street, Kinston NC. 

In addition many law enforcement agencies across North Carolina hold special events in conjunction with National Poison Prevention Week or National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. You can contact your local police or sheriff’s office to see if they are sponsoring a drug take-back event.

2nd CHOICE: HOUSEHOLD DISPOSAL STEPS

  1. Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers.
  2. Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.
  3. Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag.
  4. Conceal or remove any personal information, including RX number, on the empty containers by covering it with permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it off.
  5. The sealed container with the drug mixture, and the empty drug container, can now be placed in the trash.

References

  1. Vorvick, L. Storing your medicines, National Institutes of Health, Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, Updated May 11, 2014. Available at www.nlm.nih.gov > Accessed February 18, 2015.
  2. 1 . Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. (n.d.). Safe Disposal of Medicines – Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know. Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/ensuringsafeuseofmedicine/safedisposalofmedicines/ucm186187.htm
  3. 2. Collecting and Disposing of Unwanted Medicines. (2017, May 10). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://www.epa.gov/hwgenerators/collecting-and-disposing-unwanted-medicines
  4. 3. National Take-Back Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/
  5. 4. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2017, from http://www.ncdoj.gov/getdoc/5386f36d-cbd7-4b76-8327-584a88985645/Operation-Medicine-Drop.aspx