How do I dispose of expired or unused medications (prescription and over the counter)?
Old, expired, or unused medications (except controlled substances) should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. This type of improper disposal may contaminate drinking water and the environment. There are locations throughout Berkeley and the Bay Area that offer free and safe disposal of unwanted medicines. Visit the Teleosis Institute website at http://www.teleosis.org/gpp-locations.php for more information. Controlled substances should not be taken to these drop-off locations. However, there are occasional events for controlled substance collection. Visit http://www.savesfbay.org/dispose for a list of these events. If there are no options for safe disposal, the next best alternative is disposal into the trash. We recommend mixing pills or liquids with unsuitable substances, such as ashes, kitty litter, coffee grounds or dirt, to discourage accidental consumption. This mixture should be kept in its original container, with personal information marked out to maintain p
