Medication

HOW TO DISPOSE OF UNWANTED MEDICATIONS

For residents only, NO businesses

DON’T FLUSH THAT LEFTOVER MEDICINE

Expired or unwanted prescriptions and over the counter medications from households should never be disposed of by flushing them down the toilet or drain. Although this method of disposal prevents accidental ingestion, it can cause contamination to Florida’s aquatic environment because wastewater treatment systems and leach fields are not designed to remove many of these medications. A disposal method is offered through the “Prescription Drug Take Back Program," where you can take outdated or unwanted prescription medications to the Sheriff’s Office. Call 352-726-1121 for more information. 2 locations are available:
•1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Inverness
•3549 Saunders Way, Lecanto

Use these practical guidelines when disposing of prescription and over the counter medicines:

•Keep the medications in the original container. This will help identify the contents if they are accidentally ingested.
•Mark out your name and prescription number for safety.
•For pills: add some water or soda to start dissolving them.
•For liquids: add something inedible like cat litter, dirt, or cayenne pepper.
•Close the lid and secure with duct or packing tape.
•Place the bottle(s) inside an opaque (non-see-through) container like a coffee can or plastic laundry bottle.
•Tape that container closed.
•Hide the container in the trash. DO NOT put in a recycling bin.
•DO NOT give drugs to anyone else.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399 | (850) 245-8707 | www.dep.state.fl.us