(NewsUSA) Almost everyone has taken medication for something, whether it is as simple as an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever for a headache, an allergy medicine, or an antibiotic to combat an infection. Often, when people fail to use the entire package of medication, they let it linger in the cabinet until it is long past the expiration date. However, unneeded medication can be disposed of safely and easily to keep our homes and communities safe and our environment clean, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA). So, clean out your medicine cabinet this and choose one of these three quick and easy methods for disposing of expired, unused, or unwanted medicines:
Trash at home. Many OTC, and some prescription medications, can be thrown out with your regular trash. Mix the medicine (do not crush any tablets or capsules) with some especially unappealing trash, such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds, and place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag. Then put the bag in your usual household trash bin, and you’re done.
Drop-off disposal. Many pharmacies and law enforcement agencies provide designated kiosks where you can bring any medication, OTC or prescription, for safe disposal. The website MyOldMeds.com, has a free zip code locator tool to find more than 22,000 sites nationwide that offer medicine disposal options all year long.
Drug take-back days. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency conducts national Drug Take-Back Day events at convenient community-based temporary locations to return medications safely. The next one this year is October 24.
Visit www.KnowYourOTCs.org for more details about safely disposing of medications at home, and www.MyOldMeds.com to find secure and safe disposal locations near you.
