Medical supplies and pharmaceuticals pose a potential risk to both the environment and the public. Services are available to assist in disposing of these unwanted materials.
Medical Sharps
Sharps may include:
- Glass tubes and slides
- IV tubing with needles attached
- Lancets
- Needles
- Scalpel blades
- Syringes
These items cannot go in the garbage, as they pose a safety risk to workers, and need to be taken to an appropriate collection site.
Disposal Options
Pharmaceuticals
Do not put medication down the drain or flush it down the toilet. Medication does not belong in sewage treatment plants or our streams and rivers.
Disposal Options
At Home
- Pills and capsules: Add a small amount of water to them so they are not usable. Then disperse them throughout your garbage.
- Liquids: Add an absorbent material, such as flour or kitty litter, recap the bottle, and put it in the garbage.
Metro
Metro's hazardous waste facility or collection events. Pills should be out of original containers and placed loose in a plastic bag. Call Metro for more information at 503-234-3000.