Expired and unwanted medications piling up in the home are a significant public safety and health hazard in the home.  But what are the proper ways to dispose of these medicines?  Here are some tips created in partnership with the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments:

• Take advantage of community pharmaceutical take-back programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal.  Take-back programs are held every spring and fall in Lewiston/Auburn.  Click here for more details. You can also check out the DEA’s website for locations outside of Lewiston/Auburn. 
  
• Unless the directions say otherwise, do NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet because the chemicals can pollute the water supplies, rivers, and lakes.
• If you must dispose of medications in the household trash, mix the drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, to make sure the drugs aren’t found and abused by someone else.

What to do with Sharps?

Accidental needle-sticks from improperly disposed syringes are an unwanted reality for thousands of people each year.  That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency began advising the public of the proper disposal of syringes with the mailback product being a recommended solution.

The Sharps Disposal by Mail System(R) is government-approved and includes a specially designed mailable sharps container, a postage prepaid return shipping box with bar-code tracking, a protective 4-mil bag liner, instructions in both English and Spanish, and a multi-part simplified manifest tracking form.  The cost of mailing, disposal, and confirmation of destruction is included in the purchase price.  For more information visit:  www.sharpsinc.com

Sharps Drop-off/Collection Sites in Maine:

How can I find more information about disposing of Sharps?

Call your trash or public health department, listed in the city or county government (blue) pages.

Check the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/needledisposal

Ask your health care provider or local pharmacist if they can dispose of your used needles.

Contact the Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal at (800)643-1643.

To learn more about rules regarding medical waste disposal, consult EPA’s Medical Waste website at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/medical