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Drug Disposal

HSHS provides free, safe and anonymous medication disposal. Drop-off boxes are located at our hospitals across Illinois and Wisconsin.

Find a Disposal Location
prescription bottles open on table prescription bottles open on table

Why Safe Disposal Matters

Getting rid of unused or expired medications correctly helps keep your family and the environment safe.

Keeping unused medications at home increases the risk of accidental poisoning for children and pets and opens the door to misuse.

At the same time, throwing away or flushing medications can contaminate water supplies and harm wildlife.

How to Get Rid of Medications

  1. Gather Your Medications Collect any unused, unwanted or expired prescription or over-the-counter medications from your medicine cabinet. Please review the list of what we accept below.

  2. Visit a Collection Site Bring your medications to one of our federally registered collection sites during open hours.

  3. Drop Them Off Place medications in the secure collection box. You can leave them in their original containers or transfer them to unmarked containers if you so choose.

  4. We Handle the Rest Collected medications are destroyed safely and responsibly in compliance with DEA regulations, ensuring they never enter the environment or fall into the wrong hands.
If you cannot access one of our collection sites, you can dispose of most medications at home by following these steps:
  1. Mix medications with an undesirable substance like used coffee grounds or cat litter.
  2. Place the mixture in a sealed container such as a plastic bag or storage container.
  3. Remove or black out any personal information on prescription labels.
  4. Place the sealed container in your household trash.
Note: Some medications should be flushed rather than thrown away if a take-back program is not available. Check the FDA flush list or ask your local pharmacist.

What We Accept & Don’t

We Accept:

  • Prescription medications in all forms: pills, liquids, patches and inhalers
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • Controlled substances, including opioids, stimulants and sedatives
  • Pet medications
  • Vitamins and supplements


We Do Not Accept:

  • Needles, syringes, or sharps – contact your local health department for disposal options
  • Medical devices such as glucose monitors, thermometers, etc.
  • Chemotherapy or hazardous waste medications - contact your local pharmacy for special handling
  • Aerosol cans
  • Illegal drugs - contact local law enforcement for disposal

Locations

outside view of st johns pharmacy

Drug Disposal Box

400 N. 9th Street Springfield, Illinois 62702

Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Details Map