Chesapeake In The Know

Old medication can be tricky to get rid of responsibly. It’s not something to keep around the house if you’re no longer using it. Unmonitored drugs could fall into the wrong hands. Flushing it is not a good option because water treatment plants cannot remove all traces of drugs that are sent down the drain. The garbage can isn’t a good option 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!

On Saturday, April 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 5th precinct, the Sheriff’s Office, the Walmart in Edinburgh or the Sam’s Club in Western Branch for free, no questions asked.

Pills and patches are accepted at drug take back events but they cannot take liquids, needles or sharps. To dispose of old liquid drugs, mix it with kitty litter or sawdust (or anything else that will make it unappealing for someone or something to ingest) before throwing it in the garbage.  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.