Medication Take-Back Program
How does medication take-back work?
Use the resources below to either Find a Local Medication Drop-Off Site
or Request a Medication Mail-Back Package:
- Find a Local Medication Drop-Off Site:
- Request a Medication Mail-Back Package:
Why is safe medicine disposal important?
Leftover or expired medicines can pose a number of serious environmental and
health risks. If not disposed of, unused medicines may fall into the wrong hands and lead to accidental
poisonings, addiction or abuse. Medicines can also have health and environmental impacts in our community
when they end up in a landfill or are flushed down the toilet or drain. Wastewater treatment plants are
not typically equipped to treat pharmaceuticals and chemical compounds from improperly disposed of
medications can pass through treatment plants into our rivers or groundwater.
Collection services are for household disposal only. Per ORS 459A.200, services are available to:
- Oregon residents;
- Non-business entities in Oregon; and
- Ultimate users, as defined by 21 U.S.C. 802(27)
What products are NOT accepted by medication
take-back programs?
ORS 459A.200(5)(c) provides a full list of products that are not accepted. Examples
include:
- Vitamins
- Supplements
- Emptied injector products
- Medical devices or device components
- Exposed sharps or other used drug products that are medical waste; sharps include needles, IV tubing
with needles, scalpel blades, lancets, glass tubes and syringes
- Drugs administered in a clinical settings
- Drugs used for animal medicines
- Dialysis concentrates or solutions
- Biologics
- Nonprescription cosmetic drugs
- Herbal-based remedies
- Homepathic products
What happens to collected medications?
Collected drugs are destroyed at a hazardous waste disposal facility or a
municipal solid waste incinerator permitted to accept pharmaceutical waste.
