Fairfax County officials outlined on April 17 several methods for residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications.
The county says proper disposal is important because keeping these medications at home can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose, and misuse. The ongoing opioid epidemic makes it especially urgent for families in the community to remove unnecessary medicines from their homes.
One option is using permanent dropboxes located at police stations and area pharmacies. These dropboxes are available year-round during business hours but do not accept liquids or sharps such as needles and syringes. Accepted items include prescription and non-prescription pills, e-cigarettes and vaping devices with batteries removed, small liquid packs or pods for e-cigarettes and vaping devices, prescription ointments, and pet medications. Items that are not accepted include illegal drugs, pressurized canisters like inhalers or aerosol cans, needles, large sources of liquids, non-prescription ointments and lotions. The next National Drug Takeback Day will be held on April 25 at county police stations.
Residents may also use drug deactivation kits that neutralize medications before disposal. To use a kit: place the medication in the pouch (which holds up to 45 pills or six ounces of liquid), fill halfway with warm tap water for thirty seconds, seal the pouch, shake gently, then throw it away in the trash. Kits are available at Health Department offices; residents should call ahead to confirm availability.
For those disposing of medicine at home without specific instructions on the label: remove medicines from their original containers (without crushing tablets), mix them with an undesirable substance like kitty litter or used coffee grounds in a sealed bag or container before throwing away in household trash. All personal information on prescription labels should be blacked out before discarding containers.
Officials warn against flushing unused medicines unless specifically instructed by the label due to environmental concerns about contamination of rivers and streams.
