Medicine & Prescription Drug Disposal

Proper disposal of drugs, medications can help keep our water safe. Please do not flush down a toilet. There are many places for proper disposal. Narcotics or controlled substances may require special handling. Studies show that medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate our lakes and streams, which can hurt fish and other aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water. This is because most existing municipal wastewater treatments systems cannot remove medications from the wastewater. Some medications, such as hormones and antidepressants, interfere with the reproduction and normal growth of many aquatic species, such as frogs and fish. Links to studies are found below.

Hopefully the below list is a starting point for proper disposal and places available. Please share.

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Managing Unwanted Medications
• 2016 Law on pharmaceutical disposal Pharmaceutical Disposal Law
• Hennepin County http://www.hennepin.us/MEDICINE
• Hennepin County Flyer Hennepin County Recylcling Flyer
• Ramsey County Ramsey County Medications Collections
• Dakota County Dakota County Drug Drop Off
• Dakota County Dakota County Household Items/Medications
• Earth 911 — Locations that take medications Enter "Medications" and your zip code in the search boxes. Also note the hours of operation for these sites and any other restrictions. Where to Dispose of Medications