Safe Drug Disposal

Protect our environment and community by properly disposing of your prescription medications at a permanent local medication drop box near you. Business hours apply.

Properly disposing of unused opioid medication prevents the risk of addiction, misuse, and overdoses. 75% of Utahans currently addicted to opioids get them from a friend or family member. You can dispose of almost any medication at these drop box locations, especially any over-the-counter or prescription medication (i.e. opioids or prescription cough medication). There are some medications you can dispose of safely in the household trash. These include IV bags, non-prescription cough medication, vitamins, and so on. Here is a link to the FDA medication disposal list and frequently asked questions about medication disposal. Most medication drop box locations do not accept needles (see more information about needle disposal below). Call your local drop box location for more details.

Updated January 2023

Not located in Utah County? Type your zip code into the Drop Box Locator on: UseOnlyAsDirected.org

Drug Disposal Alternatives

If traveling to a drop box is inconvenient, you can also purchase Dispose Rx at a store/pharmacy or use an FDA-approved household disposal method. Dispose Rx is a powder that deactivates medication (including opioids) when mixed with water, and turns into a gel-like substance that is non-abusable.

Needle Disposal

Place used needles in a strong, plastic container. When the container is 3/4 full, put the lid on, seal it with duct tape, and label DO NOT RECYCLE. You can put the plastic container in the household trash or take it to a drop-off location. Utah County’s drop-off location is South Utah Valley Solid Waste Transfer Station (2450 W 400 S Springville, UT 84663). Follow this link for more instructions on how to dispose of sharps containers in Utah County: safeneedledisposal.org/states/utah