According to the FDA, 60,000 kids go to the emergency room every year because they accidentally ingested medication that wasn’t prescribed to them;
Of those instances, 45 percent of them involved child-resistant containers. So it is better to get the unused pills out of home.
But remember, DO NOT FLUSH YOUR PILLS DOWN THE TOILET.
We have a ton of medications in our water system. Our water system cannot treat all the medications and many remain and get washed out into the ocean,
where fish and other sea creatures absorb them.
STEPS FOR DISPOSAL:
STEP 1: If you’re throwing away a prescription bottle, remove the identifiable info on the label.
Prescriptions often have your full name, address, and phone number, along with the more obvious information about what medications you’ve been prescribed.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests scratching that label out thoroughly with a permanent marker, or peel off the sticker and rip it up.
STEP 2 a: Go to any one of these locations to dispose the unused medications – nearest DEA-authorized collection site
Public Controlled Substance Disposal Locations:
| Business Name | Address 1 | City, State Zip | Distance | Map | |
| WALGREEN CO. | 2001 CUSTER RD | PLANO, TX 75075 | 5 miles | ||
| CVS PHARMACY, INC. | 7230 PRESTON RD | FRISCO, TX 75034 | 6 miles | ||
| INFINITY PHARMACY SOLUTIONS, LLC | 3313 ESSEX DRIVE, STE 200 | RICHARDSON, TX 75082 | 8 miles | ||
| CVS PHARMACY, INC. | 4610 FRANKFORD RD | DALLAS, TX 75287 | 10 miles | ||
| TRINITY APOTHECARY | 2501 E HEBRON PKWY, STE 100B | CARROLLTON, TX 75010 | 10 miles | ||
| WALGREEN CO. | 1651 W UNIVERSITY DRIVE | MCKINNEY, TX 75069 | 11 miles | ||
| WALGREEN CO. | 1804 E HEBRON PKWY | CARROLLTON, TX 75010 | 11 miles | ||
| CVS PHARMACY, INC. | 2591 FM 423 | LITTLE ELM, TX 75068 | 12 miles | ||
Some locations require you to purchase a special bag to contain the medicines. To avoid that element of surprise, call the site first and ask.
STEP 2 b: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 28th, the DEA is promoting National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Lots of pharmacies and police stations will be advertising their disposal boxes, and it’s a great time to clean out your medicine cabinet.
Look at the collection sites here:
| PARTICIPANTS NAME | COLLECTION SITE | ADDRESS | CITY | STATE, ZIP | ~DISTANCE | |
| If you do not find a collection site near you, please check back frequently, sites are added every day. | ||||||
| PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT | CLARK HIGH SCHOOL | 523 W SPRING CREEK PARKWAY | PLANO | TX, 75023 | 3 miles. | |
| ALLEN POLICE DEPARTMENT | ALLEN CITY HALL | 305 CENTURY PARKWAY | ALLEN | TX, 75013 | 3 miles. | |
| PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT | PLANO SENIOR HIGH | 2200 INDEPENDENCE PARKWAY | PLANO | TX, 75075 | 6 miles. | |
| PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT | PLANO EAST SENIOR HIGH | 3000 LOS RIOS BLVD | PLANO | TX, 75074 | 6 miles. | |
| ALLEN POLICE DEPARTMENT | LOWERY FRESHMAN CENTER | 601 E. MAIN ST | ALLEN | TX, 75002 | 8 miles. | |
| PARKER PD | PARKER PD PARKING LOT |
5700 E PARKER ROAD | PARKER | TX, 75002 | 8 miles. | |
| RICHARDSON POLICE DEPT | RICHARDSON CIVIC CENTER/SOUTH PARKING LOT | 411 WEST ARAPAHO ROAD | RICHARDSON | TX, 75080 | 10 miles. | |
| PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT | PLANO WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 5601 WEST PARKER ROAD | PLANO | TX, 75093 | 7 miles. | |
| MURPHY PD | MURPHY PD | 206 N. MURPHY RD | MURPHY | TX, 75094 | 9 miles. | |
| DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT | DAN F. LONG MIDDLE SCHOOL | 2525 FRANKFORD RD | DALLAS | TX, 75287 | 10 miles. | |
| FAIRVIEW PD | FAIRVIEW FIRE STATION #1 | 500 SOUTH STATE HWY 5 | FAIRVIEW | TX, 75069 | 11 miles. | |
| CARROLLTON PD | HEBRON VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4108 CREEK VALLEY BLVD | CARROLLTON | TX, 75010 | 12 miles. | |
| CARROLLTON PD | CARROLLTON PD | 2025 E JACKSON RD | CARROLLTON | TX, 75006 | 15 miles. | |
Takeaway: Periodically clear your closet of unused medications. Dispose them the proper way.
