There are increasingly more options for disposing of medicines in the Twin Cities. Many counties and local law enforcement agencies have installed drop boxes or are organizing collection events to give residents the opportunity to properly and safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medicines. Programs typically accept all medicines from households, including prescription, over-the-counter and pet medicines.

Properly disposing of medicines is important to prevent abuse or poisoning and protect the environment. Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem, especially among teens, and accidental poisonings from medicines are on the rise. Medicines flushed down the drain or disposed of in the trash can pollute bodies of water, harm wildlife and end up in drinking water supplies.

In addition to properly disposing of medicines, looking for ways to reduce waste medicines is important.  Use all antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor, and purchase only as much over-the-counter medication as you can reasonably use before the expiration date. For example, think twice before buying a bottle of 500 aspirin just because it's cheaper, unless you will use them all.　

To learn more about medicine disposal and to find disposal options near you, click here.