How Medicine Take-Back Works


Medicine take-back programs are the only secure and environmentally sound way
to dispose of leftover and expired medicines.

  • Ongoing drop-off programs are usually at a pharmacy or a law enforcement office.
  • Take-back programs use secure equipment and procedures to prevent theft or diversion.
  • Collected medicines are destroyed in a way that protects our environment.
  • Community demand for medicine take-back programs is high, but most communities do not have a program.

 

Take-back programs can be

  • Ongoing drop-off programs.
  • One-day collection events.
  • Mail-back programs.
  • Combinations of these approaches.

Most of the take-backs operating in Washington are ongoing drop-off programs that are operating on a temporary basis.  Ongoing drop-off programs are the most convenient, cost-effective, and secure approach.  They are considered temporary because funding for these programs is temporary or uncertain.

 


 

Ongoing drop-off programs

Pharmacy programs: These programs can accept all over-the-counter medicines and prescription medicines. However some are unable to collect controlled substances. If you plan on disposing controlled substances, check the map or list first before you travel to the location.

Law enforcement programs: Most law enforcement programs accept all medicines, including controlled substances; some only accept prescription medicines. Some law enforcement offices accept pills without their containers.

 

Secure equipment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A_tssqa7lE

Unwanted medicines are deposited in metal collection bins that have been specially designed to prevent theft.  When unwanted medicines are deposited into the bin they drop into a plastic bucket or cardboard box. When that inner container is full, trained staff follows strict procedures to seal the box and send it to a secure storage facility. Once a shipment of boxes has accumulated in a secure storage area, the waste medicines are sent to a disposal facility, where they are destroyed by high temperature incineration.