Keeping medications that are expired, unwanted, or no longer needed can pose a safety risk. Consumers and caregivers should remove them from the home promptly and dispose of them properly. Doing so helps prevent accidental ingestion and intentional misuse.
The Biannual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The event, which is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, sets up a nationwide network of collection sites. The Charleston site is located at the MUSC Public Safety Greenway located at 101 Johnathan Lucas St. Click here for more information.
Commonly accepted medications for drop off and take-back programs include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, ointments and creams, liquids and syrups, pet medications, prescription patches, and vitamins. Items generally not accepted include needles, inhalers, aerosol cans, hydrogen peroxide, thermometers, and illegal drugs.
Several CVS and Walgreens pharmacies offer year-round drop off locations for medications. These include the CVS on Johns Island located at 2803 Maybank Highway and the Walmart Pharmacies at 1231 Folly Rd and 3951 West Ashly Circle. Always call ahead to validate. Click here for more information.
Important Reminders About Medication Disposal
Do not flush or pour medications down the drain. Properly disposing of prescription and over-the-counter medicines helps prevent pollution. If flushed or poured down a drain, many medicines pass through sewer and septic systems. Because these systems cannot always treat or remove the medicines, they may end up in streams, lakes, and groundwater. This can cause adverse effects in fish and other aquatic wildlife as well as unintentional human exposure to chemicals in the medications.
Reduce unwanted medications by buying only what you need, centralizing all medications in one location in your home to limit purchasing products you already have, and saying no to samples that you won’t use.
Disposing of Unused Medications in Your Household Trash
If take-back or other programs are not available to you, most unused or expired medicines can be disposed in your household trash. Here are the recommended steps to follow:
- Remove medicine from its original container.
- Mix medicine with an undesirable substance (e.g., dirt, cat litter, used coffee grounds). This will help discourage anyone from taking it.
- Place the mixture in a sealable container (e.g., ziplock bag, container with lid) to prevent leakage.
- Discard the container in your household trash. Do not place in the recycling bin.
- Scratch out all personal information on the original container to protect your identity. Discard the packaging in your household trash or check with your pharmacy for recycling options.
- Other Products: You can purchase products to dispose of medications in your home such as RX Destroyer or Deterra Drug deactivation system.
Click here for more information from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Resources.
–Tidelines Editors
(Image credit: Google images)