Why Should I Take The Time To Do This?
Properly disposing of unwanted medications may be inconvenient, but there are some very important reasons to do this in a safe and responsible manner.
It’s your environment Please don’t flush!
Drugs that are flushed down the toilet cannot be removed by the sewage treatment plants or septic system processes. These substances are released into waterways which can lead to contamination of surface and ground water. Septic tank systems may release the pharmaceuticals into the soil, from which they may reach the ground water.
Abuse is widespread!
Abuse of prescription drugs, particularly painkillers, has increased among teenagers and young adults due to the ease of obtaining drugs. Sixty percent of the persons who abuse painkillers indicate that they received the drugs free from friends or relatives.
You can make a difference!
Children, pets, and scavenging animals could find the medication and swallow it. Drugs could be scavenged and illegally sold. Take action to minimize the threat of accidental poisoning or drug abuse. Let’s take steps now to avoid harm to future generations and the environment.
Your participation is appreciated!
Secure and Monitor Medication Use In Your Home.
Think about your home. What prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs do you have? Where are they kept? Would you know if some were missing? You can take steps immediately to limit access and monitor use in your home.
Secure
- Control access to medications in you home. Keep in a secure location that is not easily accessible by children, family members or visitors to your home.
- Ask friends and family, especially grandparents, to safeguard their medications as well.
Monitor
- Monitor quantities. Take note of how many pills in bottle/packet; keep track of refills.
- Set clear rules with children/youth about all drug use, including not sharing medicine and always following their medical provider's advise and dosage.
- Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines.
Disposal Guidelines for UTAH
-- DO NOT FLUSH! DO NOT POUR! --
Prescription, or over-the-counter medications, should not be flushed down the toilet or sink. Follow these guidelines to dispose of these products properly:
- If possible take your medications to a disposal location listed on this website (Where Can I Properly Dispose of My Medications?) or visit www.MedicationDisposal.utah.gov for other disposal sites in Utah.
- Dispose of medications yourself. Don’t allow friends, neighbors, or relatives to dispose of them for you; this increases the risk of misuse and abuse.
- If you are unable to dispose of in a collection site, follow these steps:
- Crush pills and place in a sealable bag;
- Add dish soap, coffee grounds, kitty litter or another undesirable substance, or;
- If liquid medication, mix with salt, baking soda, or another dry undesirable substance, and then;
- Seal bag and place in your trash on the day of pick-up.
Where Can I Properly Dispose of My Medications?
The Heber City Police Department and Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office have established proper disposal programs for the residents of Wasatch County by installing locked, mounted, steel collection bins in the lobbies of their stations. Each agency then collects and burns the medications. Bring your unused prescription and over-the-counter medications to the following locations:
WASATCH COUNTY
Heber City Police Department
301 South Main
Heber City, UT 84032
(435) 654-3040
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Monday-Friday, Closed Holidays
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Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office
1361 S. Highway 40
Heber City, UT 84032
(435) 654-1098
Hours: 24 hours/day
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Facts About Medication Disposal
- Unused medications improperly disposed of can harm you and your environment.
- Drugs can be scavenged and illegally sold.
- Children and animals could be poisoned if they find and swallow drugs.
- When drugs are flushed, they are not removed by the sewage treatment facilities and septic tank systems and can enter the soil, surface and ground water.
- Research studies have shown that exposure to drugs found in waterways is having a serious, negative impact on fish and other aquatic life.
- Pollution prevention – the elimination or minimization of the pollution source – is preferable to cleaning up the environment.
Perscription Drug Facts - 2008
- As of 2003, the death rate due to Prescription Narcotics poisoning surpassed that from motor vehicle crashes.
- In Utah, prescribable narcotics such as methadone and oxycodone now contribute to more deaths each year than illicit drugs such as heroin.
- In 1999, approximately 50 people died due to prescription narcotics to over 300 in 2006.
- Per the 2007 SHARP survey, in Utah, 9.5% of all 12th graders have abused prescription narcotic drugs in their lifetime and 3.4% have abused them in the past 30 days