Many households end up with unused or expired medications that are considered to be hazardous waste. Disposing them by throwing in the trash, flushing down the toilet or sink can all have harmful effects on the environment, marine species and drinking water. Storing them at home can be unsafe for your children.

After you have collected the unwanted medicines, and marked out all personal information, but leaving them to their original containers, you can recycle them properly. In some countries you can just return your unneeded pills to a pharmacy or hazardous waste recycling centers (laws in Europe and many Canadian provinces require that manufacturers collect and dispose of unwanted drugs). In US many states have recently adopted programs that deal with that kind of waste. Medicine Return Programs usually accept all prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins and other legal drugs. Collection ways vary from drop-off to designated locations to prepaid mailers.

Some states have programs for reusing medicines, too. Donations have to be in original sealed packages and have at least 6 months to expiration date. This kind of programs provide for the less fortunate and keep health-care costs low for them.

Your options may vary based on your location. If no recycling program is offered by the country or state, you can throw your unwanted medications into trash in a ziploc bag after breaking them up, adding water and mixing with flour or sawdust. This ensures that they won't be taken by accident and the leakage into environment is less likely.