Safe Chemical Disposal
Health officials urge people to make sure that medications, household chemicals and agricultural chemicals are stored and disposed of properly.
Follow any specific disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information that accompanies the medication. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless the label or patient information specifically instructs the consumer to do so.
If no instructions are given on the drug label, throw the drugs in the household trash, but first take them out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and then put them in a sealable bag.
When in doubt about proper disposal, talk to a pharmacist.
Household chemical products must be used according to directions, and they must also be disposed of safely.
The best way to dispose of most household chemical products is to use as much of the products for their intended purposes as possible. Aerosol containers should be emptied completely before they are disposed of in the trash.
The labels on the containers of agricultural chemicals and their Material Safety Data Sheets often give advice on their proper disposal.
Please contact the Director of Environmental Health if you have additional questions.