Prescription Drug Disposal Locations in Austin, TX
When you have prescription drugs in your home that you no longer use or need, you may be wondering how to safely dispose of them. You don’t want others to get hold of the medications and misuse them. You also don’t want anyone else getting the information off the prescription label. You probably have concerns about the environment as well. You have many safe options available, though, as there are several prescription drug disposal locations in Austin, TX.
The Prescription Drug Problem
Prescription medications can help you with many ailments and illnesses, for better mental and physical health. However, they can also be misused and abused. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that during the period from 1999 to 2019, almost 247,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids in the US. The number of overdose deaths involving prescription opioids more than quadrupled during that time period.
The CDC also states that an average of 38 people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids every day in 2019 and prescription opioids were involved in over a fourth of all the opioid overdose deaths. One way to combat the misuse of these prescriptions is to properly dispose of them.
Concern for the Environment
Medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown in the garbage end up in sewer systems and landfills. As a result, there have been significant amounts of drugs, including hormones, antibiotics, cardiac medications, and others, showing up in the country’s waterways. Water treatment plants cannot remove the compounds from the water before they reach the environment.
When you throw a prescription medication in the garbage, there is a chance that someone else can find it and misuse it. There is also the possibility that an animal can get into the medicine, which can cause it serious harm. In addition, your prescription label will have your name and other personal information on it, so simply tossing it could be a privacy concern. The best option is to take your old or unwanted prescription drugs to disposal locations in Austin, TX.
Drop-Off Kiosks
In Austin, there are several options for safe medication disposal. Drop-off kiosks accept prescription medications from individuals and are safe and secure. The disposal bins are actually double-locked and secured to the floor at each location.
The Travis County Constable Precinct 5 and the Forty Acres Pharmacy both have drop-off kiosks at their locations:
Travis County Constable Precinct 5
1003 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78701
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(short-term parking is available in the parking lot)
Forty Acres Pharmacy
100 W. Dean Keeton St., Austin, TX 78712
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(parking available in garage behind pharmacy)
Items accepted at these locations include:
- Creams, lotions, and ointments
- Pills, capsules, and tablets
- Inhalers, nebulizer
- Blister packs
- Powders
- Liquid medicine (no more than 4-oz.)
Items not accepted at these locations include:
- Vitamins and supplements
- Needles and syringes
- Home-based care equipment
- Thermometers
- Chemicals
- Batteries
- Trash
- Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide
- Aerosol spray cans
- Illegal drugs or Schedule I drugs
There are a number of other drug disposal locations in Austin, including 30 permanent drug disposal boxes within a 25 miles radius of the city. These sites are typically located at pharmacies such as CVS, locally owned stores, and Walgreens.
Walgreens Safe Medication Disposal Program
Over a dozen Walgreens locations in the greater Austin area offer a safe prescription drug disposal option. Items accepted at Walgreens include prescriptions that are Schedule II-V controlled and non-controlled substances as well as over-the-counter medications. Walgreens locations do not accept needles, thermometers, hydrogen peroxide, or illegal drugs.
Alternative Drug Disposal Options
Other options are available to Austin, TX, residents for disposing of prescription drugs in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sponsors “take-back days” twice a year, typically one in the fall and one in the spring.
Some pharmacies also provide, for purchase, pre-paid mailers for unwanted prescription drugs. You can use the mailer to send your medications to an environmental returns program that will properly dispose of the drugs. Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to remove the label from the prescription bottles before disposing of the medications.
FIND THE SUPPORT YOU NEED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
At Sober Austin, we want you to stay safe and healthy. We provide the resources you need as you move forward with your addiction recovery. Whether you need resources for prescription drug disposal, addiction support and treatment, sober living, or enjoying sober celebrations, we are here for you. Please feel free to contact us directly by calling (512) 522-7135 or emailing contact@soberaustin.com.
