Communities share a collective responsibility to safely dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. However, many individuals don’t fully recognize the importance of proper disposal of unwanted drugs and instead discard them in the trash or flush them.
When people flush prescription drugs down sinks and toilets, these pharmaceuticals enter water systems, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are typically not equipped or designed to remove many of these substances. As a result, they can leach into bodies of water like rivers, lakes, and oceans – posing risks to aquatic species and ecosystems.
To address these concerns, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) holds National Prescription Drug Take Back Day; the next one taking place on October 25, 2025. These events serve to inform communities about their role in ensuring safe medication disposal, while also helping mitigate the risk of drug diversion, misuse, and environmental harm.
What is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day?
The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is held twice each year, in April and October, providing opportunities for the public to dispose of unused or expired medications securely and anonymously. The events aim to facilitate proper drug disposal and offer information on the potential dangers of improper use.
Since the program’s inception in 2010, the DEA and its partners have held 28 National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, collecting and safely destroying more than 19.8 million pounds of medications. Its most recent event in April 2025 involved nearly 4,472 law enforcement officials and 4,590 collection sites, resulting in the collection of more than 620,000 pounds of prescription drugs.
In addition to these biannual events, many communities often have year-round disposal options through collection kiosks at pharmacies, hospitals, and police stations.
Why Should People Participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day?
Participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day helps safely dispose of unwanted medications and addresses risks tied to leftover prescription drugs, especially opioids. In 2024, 8 million Americans aged 12 and older misused pain relievers, with most misuse involving opioids. While misuse rates dropped slightly from 2021 to 2024, opioid misuse continues to pose health dangers, including addiction and overdose. Opioid-related overdose deaths decreased 27% to 54,743 in 2024, thanks to naloxone distribution and better treatment access, though early 2025 data shows a possible increase.
In addition to limiting the risk of drug diversion, proper disposal at Take Back events also helps protect the environment: collected drugs are incinerated as recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prevent potential contamination of water sources.
How Should Someone Prepare for Drug Take Back Day?
Before the next scheduled event, individuals should check to see whether their local law enforcement agency, pharmacy, or healthcare provider is participating.
To prepare, gather any unused or expired prescription and bring them in their original bottles or in a clear, sealed bag. Be sure to remove any labels on the bottles or use a permanent marker to black out personal health information, including name, address, and health insurance data. This helps protect your privacy while ensuring medications are safely collected for proper disposal.
How Stericycle Supports Year-Round Drug Take Back Efforts
While the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Days happen twice a year, people don’t have to wait to safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications. Stericycle provides drug take-back solutions year-round, making it easier for individuals and organizations to responsibly dispose of unwanted or expired medications.
In 2024 alone, Stericycle safely incinerated 29,800 tons of pharmaceutical waste prior to final disposal – preventing active pharmaceutical ingredients from entering waterways and helping protect both public health and the environment.
Here are ways we help take part in the safe disposal of unused consumer medications:
MedDrop™ Medication Collection Kiosks
These kiosks, available at DEA-registered hospitals and retail pharmacies, promote responsible drug collection. Stericycle ensures the incineration of collected materials, safeguarding against environmental contamination.
Seal&Send™ Consumer Medication Mail Envelopes
These envelopes are pre-paid and enable patients to send up to eight ounces of unused medication to Stericycle through the U.S. Postal Service for safe incineration. Unlike drug collection kiosks, which are limited to certain DEA registrants, any organization can purchase Seal&Send™ envelopes and distribute them to patients, employees, students, and others.
Authorized Collectors
Authorized collectors, such as pharmacies and hospitals, also take medications throughout the year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports 71% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a permanent drug disposal collection site. To help people easily identify the nearest location, the DEA has an online database searchable by zip code or city/state. The agency updates its list frequently to give people the latest information about approved disposal locations.
Learn more about how Stericycle provides safe and sustainable mediation disposal for patients, healthcare organizations, and businesses.
