Medicine & Syringe Disposal

Important Information Regarding Safe Medicine Disposal (Pills, Liquids, Capsules)

Prescription painkillers play a major role in creating today’s opioid epidemic in Maine. You can help by using Maine’s Drug Take Back program to get rid of unwanted or unused medications.

 Disposing of Unwanted Prescriptions

Proper disposal is very important for those who no longer wish to use their leftover prescription drugs. NEVER flush medications down the drain, which can contaminate Maine’s water supply. Don’t throw them away in home or workplace trash, either, as they may end up being found.

The best way to get rid of leftover prescription drugs is to drop them off at one of many drug take back locations in Maine. Prescriptions that contain narcotics can often be taken to your local police department—contact them to be sure. Also, certain pharmacies will take prescriptions that are unused.

Looking to Find a Drug Take Back Location Near You? Use this map to get you started.

Closest Sites:

  •  Kittery Police Dept, 200 Rogers Rd, Kittery, tel. 439-1638
  • York Police Dept, 36 Main St, York, tel. 363-1031 

Check Eyes Open for ME here for more information and resources. For more details, brochures for Safe Medicine Disposal For Maine are available at the Public Works main office. Thank you for keeping medicines out of our Landfills (by not throwing them in the trash), wastewater systems (by not flushing them down your drains), and stormwater systems (by not disposing of them in catch bains/ditches).

Important Information on Syringes 

You can help prevent injury, illness and pollution by following some simple steps when disposing of the sharp objects and contaminated materials used in administering medications in your home.

Container: By law you must choose a rigid, leak-proof, puncture resistant container such as a hard-plastic bottle with a screw-on or tightly secured lid such as a liquid detergent bottle with a large opening.

Use: Store the container near where the sharps are generated. Be sure to keep containers with sharp objects out of the reach of children. You should place needles, syringes, lancets and other sharp objects in this container.

Container Disposal: 1. Label container with masking or duct tape: DO NOT RECYCLE 2. Make sure the lid is screwed on tightly and secured with tape 3. Dispose of in regular trash

DO NOT put sharp objects in any container that will be recycled or returned to a store. DO NOT use glass, clear plastic containers or a milk jug or carton to prevent accidental breakage, needle sticks or reuse for illicit purposes. DO NOT recycle your plastic containers containing syringes.

For more information see: www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/medical/mwpdfs/maine/maine_hh.pdf

Important References:
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Attn: Biomedical Waste Program
17 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0017
207.287.2651

American Diabetes Association
80 Elm Street
Portland Maine 04101
207.774.7717
1.888.Diabetes www.diabetes.org

Center for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road Atlanta GA 30333
1.800.311.3435