Q&A: How to dispose of old medicines

We sometimes keep leftover medication to use in the future, not knowing they have expiration dates. Dr. Erin Behnen, director of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Drug Information and Wellness Center, discusses what to do with old medications.

Why do medications expire?

Medicines are tested to be effective for a specific timeframe, and we can only know if they’re truly effective for that amount of time.

If a medicine is tested to be effective for six months, there’s no guarantee it will be as effective at nine months. Any time you have a medicine that’s past the expiration date, you should get rid of it.

Why toss unused meds that aren’t expired?

If it’s still within the expiration period, you should dispose of it so no one else takes it, and so that you don’t accidentally take it when it isn’t appropriate. There’s a growing concern with teenagers accessing and abusing prescription medicines from their parents’ medicine cabinets.

How can we cut down on disposing medicines?

Buy only the amount of over-the-counter medicines you can use within a reasonable time, and ask your doctor to prescribe only as much as necessary to treat your condition.

Where are the best places to store medicines?

Increased humidity or improper storage can affect a medicine’s quality. The best place to store medicines is a cool, dry place. A kitchen is fine as long as it isn’t near the stove. A bathroom is OK if there’s no shower in it.

What is the proper way to dispose of old or unused over-the-counter medications?

If it’s a liquid, pour it over coffee grounds or kitty litter, then dispose of that. If it’s a pill, crush it and mix it with coffee grounds or kitty litter. You can also take them to your local health department, and they’ll dispose of your medicines.

What is the proper way to dispose of old or unused narcotics or controlled medications?

Don’t dispose of them the way you do over-the-counter medicines because an animal or person might still ingest them. Many communities participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, with law enforcement present. If yours doesn’t, call your local law enforcement office or pharmacy to find out if they collect unused controlled substances.