A handful of area pharmacies, recycling centers and law enforcement buildings are available year-round to accept and put on a path to disposal unwanted prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines.
Studies show that most abused prescription medicines are obtained from family and friends, including from at-home medicine cabinets. Residents can keep their homes safer by ridding them of all expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
Nationally, Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for April 30.
Several local police agencies, including the Vancouver Police Department, which used to receive pills at its east precinct, are no longer taking in unwanted pills. Controlled substances can be dropped off at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office’s central and west precincts and the Camas and La Center police departments.
All unwanted medications, except controlled substances, can be disposed of at Central Transfer and Material Recovery Center, West Van Materials Recovery Center and participating pharmacies.
Physicians sometimes accept unwanted medications. Some unopened medications can be donated to the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington.
