How to Safely Store and Dispose of Your Medications

Medication that isn’t stored securely can lead to unintended yet serious consequences. Nearly 70 percent of people who misuse pain medications take them from an unsuspecting friend or relative. In addition:

  • Child reaching for pills on shelf

    3 in 5 teens say they have easy access to their parents' medications.

  • Half of people ages 12 and older who misused pain relievers in the past year said they got them from a friend or relative.
  • Every 10 minutes, a child visits an emergency room for accidental medication poisoning.
  • Improperly flushing or throwing away your medications can contaminate our water supply and hurt wildlife.

Protect your loved ones with proper storage and disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medicine (such as aspirin).

 

Hand holding medication bottle

How to Properly Sort and Store Your Medications 

Hands dropping pill bottles into MedSafe bin

Safe Disposal: MedSafe Bins at Munson 

Hands holding blister packs containing pills

Proper Medication Disposal from Home

Safe Medication Clean-up

How to Sort & Store

Storage Tip: Bathroom Cabinets Aren't the Most Ideal Storage Spot

Your bathroom cabinet is not the best place for medications. The extra heat and moisture in bathrooms can cause damage to medications, making them less effective over time. Instead, store your medications in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

Take Inventory: Sort through your medications, setting aside any medications that you no longer use or have expired. Keeping expired medications can be tempting so you have them “just in case" – but medication has an expiration date for a reason. Over time, medication loses its potency, making it not only ineffective but possibly even dangerous.

Properly Store Your Non-Expired Medications: First, look for a secure place that children and pets cannot easily reach. Strongly consider keeping prescription medications (such as codeine or opioids) in a locked cabinet or drawer that only you have access to and keep close track of the number of pills you have left.

Once your up-to-date medications are safely stored, consider adding a reminder to your calendar to take inventory in another 3-12 months.

Safe Medication Disposal

Munson Healthcare offers free, safe medication disposal via our MedSafe disposal bins throughout Northern Michigan. The drop-off process is simple and anonymous – you are not required to check in or provide any personal information to anyone, including your name. Simply take your medications to a Munson Healthcare location near you and look for the blue MedSafe disposal bin. What to know before you go:

  • There is no need to peel prescription labels off your med containers, as the contents of our MedSafe bins are routinely collected and incinerated.
  • If you have numerous containers, you are welcome to place them all in a plastic or paper bag and then drop the bag into the MedSafe bin.
  • Acceptable Medications include: pills, tablets, and capsules; ointment, creams, and lotions; powders; and 4 ounces or less of liquid medicines (kept in original container, wrapped in paper towel, and sealed in a bag).
  • We cannot accept sharps/needles in our MedSafe bins. Please find a sharps/needle collection site near you by clicking here.

MedSafe Medication Disposal Near You

Munson is committed to helping end the opioid overdose crisis in our region through education, medication stewardship and alternative pain management therapies, and our MedSafe disposal bins. Together with your help, we’ve collected over 19,000 pounds of unwanted and expired medications since installing these bins at multiple Munson Healthcare locations in 2018.

For additional locations, view the Michigan Household Drug Take Back Map.

At-Home Medication Disposal

Pills mixed with coffee grounds for disposal

The safest way to discard your medications is by using one of the MedSafe disposal containers listed above. However, you can dispose of medication at home with the following method:

  • Mix your expired or unused medications with kitty litter or coffee grounds inside a sealed bag or container.
  • Scratch out your personal information on prescription container labels.
  • Place both in your household trash.

 

Have questions about medication usage or storage? Call our free Ask-A-Nurse line at 231-935-0951 (available 24/7/365) to speak with a Munson Healthcare Registered Nurse. No insurance is required for this free service.