Prescription Medication Disposal Safety Guide [Infographic]

Cathy Snider https://www.pharmaquotes.com 1m 244 #safetyguide

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Safety Guide For Prescription Medication Disposal

According to the FDA, medicine take-back options are the preferred way to safely dispose of most types of unneeded medicines. You can dispose of medicines at a local DEA-registered collector which will safely and securely collect and dispose of pharmaceuticals containing controlled substances and other medicines. Authorized permanent collection sites may be in retail pharmacies, hospital or clinic pharmacies, and law enforcement facilities. Contact your local pharmacy today for more information.

Recommended Medication Disposal Procedures

Mix – Mix medicines (do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, cat litter or used coffee grounds.

Place – Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag.

Throw – Throw the container in your household trash.

Scratch Out – Scratch out all personal information on the prescription label of your empty pill bottle or empty medicine packaging to make it unreadable, then dispose of the container.

Sharps Disposal – Sharp’s is a medical term for medical related devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin. They include needles, syringes, lancets and auto injectors. When sharps are not properly disposed of, they pose a health risk to the community and waste collection staff. It may even be illegal in your community to place sharps in your recycle or trash. Talk to your pharmacist about safe sharps disposal. Most pharmacies offer sharps containers and disposal services.

View the full infographic below.

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