Medical Waste

Needles/Lancets/Syringes

sharps 3Approximately 800,000 needlestick injuries occur in the U.S. annually. Sanitation and recycling workers all suffer when needles are disposed of improperly. To help protect workers, please see North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Flyer on Safe Needle Disposal (PDF).    

Pharmaceuticals/Prescriptions

Safely Dispose of Unwanted Medications

Orange County residents can now safely get rid of unwanted, unused, or expired medications. 

There are ten Prescription Drug Drop Box locations across the county where you can drop off medications and prescriptions.

For a list of accepted items and disposal guidelines, please visit the Orange County Prescription Drop-Off webpage.

Why Safe Medication Disposal Matters

Getting rid of medications the right way helps keep our community safe. Here’s why:

  1. 🗑️ Throwing medications in the trash is risky. Someone could find them and use or sell them illegally.
  2. ⚠️ Unused or expired medications can be dangerous. They may lead to accidental poisoning, overdose, or misuse.
  3. 🚽 Flushing medications can harm the environment. They can end up in our water supply.
  4. 🏠 Teens often find drugs at home. Most teens who misuse prescription medications get them from family medicine cabinets.

Help protect your family, neighbors, and the environment by disposing of medications safely.

If You Can't Use a Drop-Off Location

If you're unable to take your prescription medications to a drop-off site, you can safely throw most medicines away at home by following these steps:

  1. 🧪 Mix the medicine (liquid or pills—don’t crush tablets or capsules) with something unpleasant like dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds.
  2. 🛍️ Put the mixture in a sealed container, like a plastic bag.
  3. 🏷️ Remove your personal info from the prescription label or packaging.
  4. 🗑️ Throw away the empty bottle or box in the trash or recycling bin (if the material is accepted).

This method helps keep medications out of the wrong hands and protects the environment.