What To Do With Unwanted Medicines

Medicine take-back programs are a secure way to dispose of unwanted household medicines so that they don’t pollute our waterways. Unfortunately, there is no statewide program in Washington to take back unwanted household medicines and no ongoing funding for such a program.  You can read more about our efforts to create a drug take back program funded by the drug producers.

Until such a program is created, some pharmacies and law enforcement offices in Washington State have stepped up to collect medicines and dispose of them to protect our communities and our environment. For example, Group Health Cooperative clinics and select Bartell Drugs locations have collected more than 45,000 pounds of unwanted medicines since October 2006.  More than 40 police or sheriff’s offices in eight counties are collecting narcotics and other legally prescribed controlled substances.

You can find out more about existing locations to take back unwanted medicines. Make sure to read the instructions about what medicines are accepted at the specific drop-off locations.

At this time, only law enforcement locations can legally collect prescribed controlled substances. Pharmacies cannot accept controlled substances from residents. Controlled substances include narcotics and are drugs with a high potential for abuse or addiction.  Examples are amphetamines, Valium, Ritalin, morphine, methadone and OxyContin.  Representative Inslee has introduced a bill that would change federal law to remove the current requirement that law enforcement officers be involved in the normal operations of take-back programs for household medicines and to provide additional legal avenues for safe disposal of controlled substances.  

More information about medicine take-back programs

From 2006 to 2008, Zero Waste Washington worked with government and private sector partners on a pilot program for the return of unwanted household medicines at select Bartell Drugs and Group Health locations in Washington. Find out more about the the results and lessons learned from this successful pilot.

In 2006, Zero Waste Washington commissioned a survey of King County Washington residents to gain a greater understanding about disposal of unwanted medicines. You can find out more by looking at a summary of the survey or the full results.