Dispose of medications promptly after you stop taking them or when they become expired.
The Kansas Medication Collection and Disposal Program offers Kansans a convenient, safe and environmentally responsible option for disposing of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Disposing of unused medication in a responsible way can reduce the risk of unintentional poisoning and misuse.
Contact your local pharmacy for additional disposal options, particularly for controlled substances such as opioids.
Source: NABP
Many Kansas pharmacies provide convenient medication disposal boxes for patients to get rid of unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Contact the pharmacies listed on the map below for more information about the type of medications they can accept.
When a medication disposal site is not available, you may consider other options to eliminate the potential for prescription drug misuse in your home:
To safely throw away unwanted or expired medication, take pills out of their original container, dissolve them in warm water and mix them with an undesirable substance such as kitty litter or coffee grounds. Put this mixture into a sealed bag and place in the garbage.
When disposing of the original container, mark out your name and other identifying information from the prescription drug label.
Learn more: FDA Guide for Safe Drug Disposal
Some prescription drugs can be safely disposed of by flushing them down the sink or toilet. These drugs usually have instructions on the package that indicate this option.
Learn more: FDA Guide for Drug Disposal: Flushing
The SAFE Project provides at-home disposal options (including some for free) to curb potential misuse and abuse. Request a free at-home disposal pouch.
