Medically reviewed by Biljana Srbinovska, MPharm. Last reviewed July 2026.
The safest way to get rid of old medication is a take-back site, and there are more than 16,500 authorised collectors across the US, including many pharmacies and police stations. If you cannot reach one, most medicines can go in your household trash prepared a particular way. A short and specific list of drugs, mostly opioids, should be flushed when no take-back is available, because a single dose can kill a child or a pet. Everything else should not be flushed. Here is exactly what to do.
Option 1: Take It Back, the Default Choice
The DEA runs National Prescription Drug Take Back Day twice a year, in April and October, with roughly 4,200 collection sites operating on the day. The most recent was 25 April 2026.
You do not need to wait for the event. More than 16,500 DEA-authorised collectors operate year-round at pharmacies, hospitals, and police departments. Find one at deadiversion.usdoj.gov or DEATakeBack.com.
What they accept: pills, capsules, and patches, plus liquids kept sealed in their original containers.
What they do not accept: syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs.
Option 2: Pharmacy Kiosks and Mail-Back
Many chain pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart have permanent drop-off kiosks in store. Ask at the counter, since kiosks are not always in an obvious spot.
Some pharmacies also provide pre-paid mail-back envelopes, often free. This is the easiest route if you cannot easily travel, and it is worth asking your pharmacist whether they have them.
Option 3: The FDA Flush List, and Only This List
General advice is not to flush medication. The FDA makes a deliberate exception for a specific group of drugs where a single dose could kill a child, an adult, or a pet, and where the risk of accidental exposure outweighs the environmental concern.
Flush these only if no take-back option is available:
Opioids: any medication containing buprenorphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone or benzhydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, or tapentadol.
Non-opioids on the list: sodium oxybate (Xyrem, Xywav), diazepam rectal gel (Diastat), and methylphenidate transdermal patches (Daytrana).
One specific instruction: fentanyl patches still contain enough drug to be lethal after use. Fold each used patch in half with the sticky sides pressed together, then flush it.
Nothing outside this list should be flushed.
Option 4: Household Trash, for Everything Else
For any medication not on the flush list, when take-back is not practical:
Take the medication out of its original container. Mix it with something unpalatable such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds, and do not crush tablets or capsules. Seal the mixture in a plastic bag or a disposable container. Put it in your household trash. Then scratch out all personal information on the empty bottle label before recycling or discarding it.
Mixing matters because it makes the medication unappealing to children and animals and harder to retrieve from the bin.
Special Cases
Controlled substances not on the flush list should go to a DEA-authorised collector rather than the trash where possible.
Inhalers and aerosol canisters need different handling. Never puncture or incinerate them, since pressurised canisters can explode. They are not accepted in pharmaceutical take-back or sharps containers. Check with your local household hazardous waste facility.
Needles, syringes, and lancets require an FDA-cleared sharps container, never a household bottle, and disposal rules are set locally. Check your state or municipal sharps programme for drop-off locations.
Why Not Just Keep Them?
Two reasons worth knowing. Medications degrade after their expiry date, so a drug you keep for an emergency may not work when you need it. And unused prescription opioids sitting in a bathroom cabinet are a well-documented source of misuse, frequently by someone other than the person prescribed them. Clearing them out is a genuine safety measure rather than housekeeping.
Medication Disposal FAQs
Where can I dispose of expired medication?
At any DEA-authorised collector, of which there are more than 16,500 year-round, including many pharmacies, hospitals, and police stations. Find one at deadiversion.usdoj.gov. Twice-yearly National Take Back Days run in April and October.
Can I flush old medication down the toilet?
Only medications on the FDA flush list, and only when no take-back is available. That list is mainly opioids, plus sodium oxybate, diazepam rectal gel, and methylphenidate patches. Everything else should go to take-back or into the trash prepared properly.
How do I throw medication in the trash safely?
Remove it from the original container, mix it without crushing into dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds, seal it in a bag, and bin it. Scratch out personal details on the label first.
How do I dispose of used fentanyl patches?
Used patches still contain enough drug to be lethal. Fold each one with the sticky sides together and flush it, or take it to a collector if one is available.
Can I put needles in the take-back box?
No. Take-back programmes do not accept syringes or sharps. Use an FDA-cleared sharps container and follow your local sharps disposal programme.
What about old inhalers?
Do not puncture or burn them, since the canisters are pressurised and can explode. They are not accepted in normal medication take-back. Contact your local household hazardous waste facility.
