News Releases

Ford: Local Medication Disposal Sites

Indiana, along with the rest of the nation, is battling an opioid epidemic. Drug overdoses are now the No. 1 cause of accident-related deaths in Indiana and the United States. Our state is facing a crisis that is destroying lives and damaging entire communities.

A recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that an estimated 18.9 million people misused prescription drugs in the past year, and over 50 percent of people who abuse prescription medications get them from family or friends, often from the medicine cabinet.

In order to keep unwanted and expired medicine out of the hands of drug abusers, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has partnered with the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force to promote safe drug disposal practices in Indiana.

Unwanted medications may be taken to your local take-back collection program. The locations in Senate District 38 are listed below:

Clay County

Lynn’s Pharmacy
22 W. National Ave.
Brazil, IN
812-446-2381

Vigo County

Indiana State University Public Safety Office
210 N. 6th St.
Terre Haute, IN
812-237-7829

Terre Haute Police Department
1211 Wabash Ave.
Terre Haute, IN
812-238-1661

Walgreens Disposal Kiosk
1300 Wabash Ave.
Terre Haute, IN
812-234-5147

Some disposal sites do not accept liquid medication. In order to safely dispose of expired or unwanted liquid medication, you should:

  1. Add sawdust, cat litter, or flour to the original container;
  2. Remove the label from the prescription bottle or completely mark out all patient information;
  3. Put the lid back on the container tightly and put it in a heavy-duty sealed bag to keep the medicine from leaking; and
  4. Put the sealed bag in your trash so that it is not visible to prevent unintended use or contact.
  • Do not flush the medicine down the sink or drain.
  • Do not give or sell medicine to family and friends.

Pharmaceutical waste is a risk to human health and the environment if disposed of improperly. For more information on disposing unwanted medication, visit http://www.in.gov/idem/recycle/2343.htm.

As always, you can contact my office directly with your questions and concerns by email at Senator.Ford@iga.in.gov or by phone at 800-382-9467.

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