If you are like most people you have medication you no longer use sitting in a drawer or cabinet. Whether it's expired Advil or an antibiotic you didn't finish, these products are unsafe to keep in your home because they could end up in the wrong hands. On the other hand, you can't simply throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet because they are hazardous waste with the potential to pollute our soil, groundwater and air.
What to do? For starters, next Saturday, April 26, is
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pasadena residents can deliver unused, unwanted or expired medications in front of the Pasadena Police Department at 207 North Garfield Ave.
Your other option is to pick up a medication-return box or pouch from a store like Target and mail your unused medication to a company that will (hopefully) process it appropriately.
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| TakeAway, a return system for unused medications |
Sharps Compliance in Texas offers a commercial return system called TakeAway. The company accepts all prescription and over-the counter drugs
except for controlled substances. Unfortunately, its website provides little information on the fate of medication sent to them. The
FAQs only say: "Once your package arrives at the treatment facility, we can scan and secure it, and then law enforcement supervises its processing."
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When: Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day)
Where: Pasadena Police Department at 207 North Garfield Ave
What: Drop off unused, unwanted or expired medication
