Chesapeake In The Know

Old medication can be tricky to get rid of responsibly. Flushing it is not a good option because water treatment plants cannot remove all traces of drugs that are sent down the drain. Tossing it in the garbage isn’t a good solution because there’s a chance it could be found by an animal or a child and accidentally ingested. It’s not considered household hazardous waste so you can’t dispose of it through SPSA. The best way to get rid of old medication is to take it to a drug take back event, which is coming up soon!

On Saturday, October 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. you can bring your old pills and patches to the police departments in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th precinct or to the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office on Albemarle Drive for free, no questions asked.

They will only accept pills and patches, no liquids, needles, or sharps. If you have a liquid drug that needs to be disposed, mix it with kitty litter or sawdust (or anything else that will make it unappealing for someone or something to ingest) and then throw it away.  To dispose of used needles, talk to your doctor or pharmacist as they may have an option.  If not, place them in a rigid container such as a laundry detergent bottle and label “do not recycle” before throwing it into the garbage.