How do you dispose of unwanted medication?

[Jackyjill6]

I have a variety of pills and potions, some of which I don't mind flushing down the loo, but others I am not keen to eg contraceptive pill.
I did ask a pharmacist if they would take them, but they didn't want to know.
Any ideas?

Bin 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can't flush them down the toilet.

What reason do the pharmacy give for not disposing of them?

Try another pharmacy. Most of them will take them and it sounds like you got a dud one.

Take them to another pharmacist. Please don't put them in the bin.

I think the pharmacy is actually obliged to take the medicine. Try one of the bigger chains if you have one near you. Don’t flush them or put them in the bin.

I can't remember what reason theygave as it was a while ago, actuallly I rather think it was just a refusal. Anyway the outcome is that I have a pile of stuff that I didn't know what to do with.
I'll try a few different branches.

The chemist you got them from should take them back

Pharmacists are supposed to take them. Perhaps ask your GP surgery?

Hand it in at a pharmacist. No need for the drama

Soover. Some of them are years old, I wouldn't know what pharmacist they came from. And some of it is just out of date over the counter stuff.

Hand it in at a pharmacist. No need for the drama

What drama? OP asked a question, that's all.

just take them to the pharmacy, they dispose of them safely. do not put in a bin or down the loo, they potentially contaminate water

Out of interest, how does the pharmacy get rid of it? Is there a contract with some sort of chemical disposal company collecting up all the out of date vitamin pills?

Definitely a pharmacy

Yes Happy I know they could potentially contaminate the water supply. It's why I asked the question.

Please don't flush them down the loo, water companies have big problems with water quality .
The pharmacy will have a contract with a specialist disposal company.
Sometimes if the bins are full, a phamacist may ask you to bring items back later but they should not refuse outright, they should not store unwanted medicines outside of the disposal bins.( Retired pharmacist - used to oversee the contract for a group of pharmacies!!!)

Definitely try another pharmacy. When my FiL died earlier this year I took two carrier bags of meds to a local pharmacy. There were a couple of things they couldn't take, but everything else they took without question.

Thank you all. I am going to have a streamlined medicine cupboard soon!

I had a similar clear out recently and took some fairly innocuous stuff (eg Calpol) and the pharmacist was very kind to the kids and took them through the back to show them the special yellow waste bin it went into.

The pharmacies insinuate them (they send them off to a specialist company) the only thing they can't/won't take is needles, even if unused...they will ask you to put them in the sharps bin you were provided and have collected that way (if you use needles that is) I use to work in a care home and all medical action has to be carefully documented in a pharmacy book for disposal

Why can’t they just go in the bin?

Because animals at landfill can ingest them or it can contaminate the soil

I've taken mine to the chemist and they've always accepted them.

I’ve given a pharmacy very out of date medication before. Some of them ask for your details, others just took it without questions. Never been turned down yet!

I always take them to the pharmacy. They get you to tip out your bag of stuff onto a tray so they can see there are no sharps. Other than that I've always found they'll take the lot without fuss - a mix of prescription, over the counter stuff etc.