How To Get Rid of Medicines

Keeping expired or leftover medicine “just in case” could be dangerous. Expired medicines may not work properly. Any medicine in your home could fall into the wrong hands, so get rid of what you no longer need.

The ‘wrong hands’ could be a curious child, someone seeking drugs for recreational purposes, or someone who is thinking of harming him/herself.

Follow these steps to safely dispose of medicine:

1. MIX with something unpleasant, like kitty litter or coffee grounds.
2. PLACE in a sealed plastic bag or container with a lid.
3. THROW the container out with your regular trash.
4. SCRATCH OUT personal information on prescription labels before they go into the trash.

For more information about safe medicine disposal, watch this video from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.