Medication disposal

The health care system and advancements in drug therapy have contributed to Americans living longer than ever before. As the population ages, the volume of medications prescribed increases dramatically. Patients over the age of 75 average 12 new prescriptions per year. It is estimated that four of every five patients leave the doctor's office with a prescription.

The problem

Recent studies have detected low concentrations of prescription drugs, including opiates, and over the counter medications in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas throughout the country, including Detroit. Contributing to the problem is the disposal dilemma faced by residents who want to safely dispose of unwanted medications without flushing them down the drain.

Medications may become unwanted for a variety of reasons:

• change in medication
• change in dosage
• not used by patient
• medication is outdated
• patient has improved
• patient has died

Historically, unwanted medications were either flushed down the toilet or thrown out in the garbage. Both of these options pose a risk:

1. Children or pets can accidentally ingest medications discarded in the garbage
   
    
2. Medications flushed down the toilet may not be completely removed by the sewage treatment process and end up in ground or surface waters.

The solution

The Macomb County Health Department is partnering with Macomb Partnership for Overdose Prevention to accept unwanted and expired medications. Macomb Partnership for Overdose Prevention is a county-wide initiative to prevent abuse, addiction, and overdose of narcotics. 

Unwanted medications (non- narcotics) can be brought in to Household Hazardous Waste collection events for proper disposal.

The Health Department is now partnering with local pharmacies to expand our drug disposal program.

* Unwanted medications - no narcotics

**  Unwanted medications  - No liquids and No sharps

To protect your personal information, please remove the name from the medication container before disposal.  Please Note: Examples of narcotics/controlled substances include: Morphine, Ritalin, Tylenol III, etc.  

• Information on disposal of syringes 
• Information on medication disposal and a map of drop-off locations