Wondering How to Dispose of Old Prescription Medicines?

April 22 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Not sure what to do with all the medicine cluttering up your medicine cabinet? Old painkillers. Expired antibiotics. Piles of prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines you never finished for one reason or another.

You know you have to keep them out of the hands of other people, especially if you have children or teenagers in the house. But, you can’t flush them down the toilet because they can get into the water supply and contaminate it. And throwing them out isn’t an option — that poses safety and health hazards.

So, what to do?

The answer is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, hosted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), this Saturday, April 22 — a safe, anonymous and free way to dispose of unused or unwanted medications.

You can bring your old or unwanted medications to approved locations around the country and safely dispose of them. And free up some space in your medicine cabinet for that bold new lipstick you’ve been eyeing.

Visit the DEA website to find a collection site near you.

Kim Ledgerwood

HealthyWomen's Editorial Director

As HealthyWomen’s editorial director, Kim oversees the production of all content and ensures that it is aligned with our mission, meets our high editorial standards and captures our brand voice.

Kim is an award-winning editor and copywriter with more than 30 years of experience. She started her career as a copywriter and broadcast producer at the Southeast’s largest full-service advertising agency, The Tombras Group. Since then, she has edited and written for a wide variety of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to indie authors across multiple industries and topics.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree in communications/advertising from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Kim lives in Maryland with her husband, three children and a menagerie of pets.

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