Dispose of Unwanted Medicines on Drug Take-Back Day 2015

Residents may safely dispose of unwanted or expired prescription and over the counter drugs at Saturday’s Drug Take-Back Day.

The Prince George’s County Police Department will have three collection locations open for the Sept. 26 event. The medications do not need to be in their original packaging. Authorities will not accept liquids, aerosol-based medication or needles/injectable pens. This collection service is free and anonymous.

PGPD Collection Locations:

• District I Station at 5000 Rhode Island Avenue in Hyattsville
• District III Station at 7600 Barlowe Road in Palmer Park
• District IV Station at 5135 Indian Head Highway in Oxon Hill

In Bowie, residents may drop off items between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Bowie Police Department, 15901 Excalibur Road.

Disposing of medications through a drug take-back day is the safest option. If it is safe to dispose of a drug by flushing it down a toilet, the drug label or prescription information will indicate that option is an appropriate means of disposal.

Drugs should not be thrown in the trash unless these safety precautions are followed:

• Place unwanted or expired medication into a plastic bag (with a seal) or other empty container with a lid to prevent liquid medications from leaking out.
• Mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds or sawdust. (Liquid medications can be solidified using kitty litter or sawdust.)
• Seal the bag and/or container.
• Crush pills or tablets.
• Put the container and/or bag containing the medication into your regular household trash.
• Remove the label with the patient’s name from the original medicine vial or bottle.

Unused and/or expired medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Studies show that most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.