Medicines and medical waste
Leftover medicines, needles and other medical waste: take-back first, the trash only the way federal guidance allows.
How to dispose of needles and sharps safely
How to dispose of needles and sharps: safe containers, local drop boxes and mail-back rules.
How to Dispose of Old Medication Before Take Back Day 2026
The DEA's next Take Back Day is October 24, 2026 — what to do with unused medicine before and after it.
Old pills, syringes and inhalers do not belong loose in the household cart. Federal guidance puts drug take-back sites and take-back events first, lets most medicines go in the trash only after they are mixed and sealed, and treats needles as sharps that need a puncture-proof container. The guides here say what is true nationally and where the rule turns local.
Where to start
Open how to dispose of old medication for the FDA flush list, the trash steps and three state take-back programs. Your state page and the city edition for your address name the local program. Household hazardous waste covers the collection sites and events that take some medical items, and drop-off locations lists the sites we have checked. Open how to dispose of needles and sharps for containers, designated drop boxes and mail-back.