Unwanted medications should NOT be disposed of down drains or toilets.
Mr. Yuck is changing his advice. Now, aware of the unintended consequences downstream, Yuck no longer recommends that people flush waste medication—a poison hazard—down the toilet.
While most pharmacies will not accept unused medications, some host “clean out your medicine cabinet” drives. In lieu of that option:
Keep medication in its original container. The labels may contain safety information and the caps are typically childproof. Mark out patient’s information.
Modify the contents to discourage consumption.
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Solid medications: add a small amount of water to pills or capsules to dissolve them, at least partially.
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Liquid medications: add table salt, flour, charcoal or powdered spice, such as turmeric or mustard, to make a pungent, unsightly mixture that discourages anyone from eating it.
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Blister packs: wrap packages containing pills in multiple layers of opaque tape like duct tape.
Seal and conceal. Tape the medication container lid shut with packing or duct tape and put it inside a non-transparent bag or container to ensure that the contents cannot be seen.
