topic Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY in Wellness

DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

pdlinda — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 20:38:34 GMT

I had 2 joints replaced (2017 and 2019) and received several prescriptions for Oxys and other meds that I used briefly. I have about 10 vials in all.

HSN had some great organizing canister sets that I recently bought that led to me dumping ALL my toiletries and other cosmetics and keeping just what I needed.

Among the items were all the vials of these meds that I've had for years because no agency (police and/or fire depts, or pharmacy) wants to dispose of them for me.

They all report having disposal days for this purpose in the past but, for some reason, since COVID, they tell me they have discontinued this service.

Any ideas how I can safely dispose of these meds as I do not want to contaminate the water supply (flushing them down toilet) or the landfills (by dumping in the trash).

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Sooner — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 20:42:17 GMT

@pdlinda State Health Dept?

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

SilleeMee — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:10:15 GMT

You need to find a participating drug disposal site in your area. Many are located at drugstores, for example Walgreens or CVS.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-

disposal-drug-take-back-locations

This link will show you where to go. Just type in your location and it will show you where you can go to drop off controlled substances:

https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e2s1

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

colleena — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 20:56:36 GMT

@pdlinda I'm not sure where you live but here in Washington State we have a Safe Medication Return Program. On the State Health Dept site is an option to request a free prepaid envelope which they will send to you so you can put your prescriptions in it & return to them for disposal. I've used this this past year, I did remove my identifying information first & I thought it worked well. Hopefully your state has something similar. Good luck.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Love my grandkids — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:07:04 GMT

@pdlinda Check with local pharmacies and drug stores. Here in WA state our local Walgreen's has had a disposal bin for a couple of years as does my family's pharmacy at our local Safeway.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

hckynutjohn — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:24:04 GMT

@pdlinda

Vials in my medical jargon means liquid meds. Were you injecting this Oxy? If they are pills, pretty easy to make them into bits of dust using many methods. Then throw a little into the wind here/there every few days for a couple weeks/months, that should do it.

Or dig a hole in your yard, dump the powder in, and next spring plant something there, and if it grows? Not to worry anymore. And if your home uses a septic tank? Lid off/drop in powder or pills or liquid, that should do it.

If it is liquids? A dash here a dash there mixed in 5 gallons of water. I doubt it is going to contaminate the water or the earth, but that's just me.

I appreciate trying to keep the environment safe and clean, but? ↩↪⤴️⤵️

hckynut

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

nana59 — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:26:17 GMT

i throw them in the trash....if someone wants them that badly....they are welcomed to go through my garbage.......

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

pdlinda — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:27:17 GMT

@SilleeMee

Thanks so much! My problem is solved. I clicked on the link and there is a Walgreen's 6 miles from my house that will take the meds.

When I go to my regular Walgreen's 5 mins from my house I'll let them know this info as when I inquired there last week they said they couldn't help me!!

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

SilleeMee — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:28:50 GMT

@pdlinda

You're welcome. Glad you found a place to go.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

pdlinda — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:29:25 GMT

@hckynutjohn

Thanks so much for these ideas. I hope I never have to use them (hope I have no further major surgeries) but I will pass these ideas to others who might need them.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Katcat1 — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:32:05 GMT

Throw them in the trash. The trash surely will not get high.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Kachina624 — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:34:26 GMT

We also have a day a couple of times a year when you can take unwanted meds to a disposal site.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Kachina624 — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:36:49 GMT

@hckynutjohn Do we really want people's drugs in the ground water or washed into a river?

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

RedTop — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 22:12:02 GMT

I'm in WV, and ALL local police departments and our courthouse have a locked, drug drop off station to dispose of these meds.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

proudlyfromNJ — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 22:16:56 GMT

We can take them to two of the pharmacies in town.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 22:45:02 GMT

@pdlinda

Funny, just last week I asked my pharmacist where to dump old prescriptions, since we're not supposed to flush them anymore. He took the time to look up possibilities in the greater Los Angeles area and the closest to me was 47 miles away! Since they weren't controlled substances, and driving almost 100 miles round trip isn't practical, he said just wrap them carefully and dump with my regular trash, and forget about it.

So ,,, I suggest you call a few pharmacists and get their take on what is happening in your state and in your area.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

hckynutjohn — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 23:22:49 GMT

@pdlinda wrote:
@hckynutjohn

Thanks so much for these ideas. I hope I never have to use them (hope I have no further major surgeries) but I will pass these ideas to others who might need them.

@pdlinda

Hopefully you knew my comments were mostly "tongue n cheek" 😉, with a bit of understanding. I have gotten so many "pain meds" over so many decades, I can't remember what I did with some of them.

Most of them I never used, and after 2008, I will take anti-inflammatory or steroid meds, because of my many Colon bleeding issues. Nothing that has a risk of thinning my blood, or altering in any way, my blood clotting time.

I always filled the prescriptions and passed them on to my wife. With her having so many(13) abdominal surgeries, along with a stroke and a TKR, they were something that helped her.

Right now for me the big opioid problem is not where I dispose of opioids and steroids. That would be the amount of them, laced with Fentanyl, pouring into our country. For me, some 90,000 OD deaths, should be the more immediate issue.

hckynut

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

Duckncover — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 02:24:58 GMT

Most pharmacies do have a bin or box for expired or other medications disposal. I saw a woman drop pill containers into the bin while I was waiting for my first vaccine. I know there is also one at the Kroger pharmacy. I don't know why Covid would make them stop using the disposal service, but maybe they will resume it in the future.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

depglass — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:56:27 GMT

I'd verify the safety of the septic tank idea. In our area the companies that pump the tanks out sell or give this sludge to farmers who have it spread on their fields. That idea alone is bad enough to absorb mentally, adding opioids just makes it less palatable. Pardon the pun.

Re: DISPOSING OF MEDICATIONS IN THE "CONTROLLED" CATEGORY

ALRATIBA — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:23:19 GMT

LOcal Walgreen's has a bin at the pharmacy counter where we can deposit meds for disposal.