IDEM, Marsh Pharmacies to Collect Unwanted Medicine

Residents encouraged to dispose of pharmaceuticals in a safe, environmentally friendly manner

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Many Hoosiers have a cabinet full of outdated or unwanted medication and are unsure how to dispose of them properly. On Saturday, October 25, Marsh Pharmacies around the state are providing local residents the opportunity to dispose of these medications in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner.

Marsh Pharmacies will accept the unwanted pharmaceuticals from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) staff members will be on hand at select locations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to answer questions about medicine and household hazardous waste disposal.

Items that will be accepted include:

• Prescription medications;
• Over-the-counter medications;
• Vitamins and nutritional supplements;
• Veterinary medications; and
• Sharps or needles.

Marsh Pharmacies will be unable to accept the following items:

• Controlled or hazardous substances;
• Mixed medications, or medications in alternate containers;
• Medical or household chemicals; and
• Business waste.

"This special collection date gives Hoosiers the opportunity to properly dispose of expired or unwanted over the counter and prescription medications," said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. "Pharmaceutical products can cause problems if they are poured down the drain because wastewater facilities are not designed to remove this type of waste."

Pharmaceutical discards also pose a hazard because pets and children can be poisoned as a result of accidental ingestion, and patient information displayed on discarded containers increases the risk for identity theft. When turning in prescription bottles, Easterly recommends leaving the name of the medication visible on the label but blacking out personal information such as name, address and account number.

To locate a Marsh Pharmacy location, Hoosiers can visit http://www.marsh.net/. Besides Marsh Pharmacy and IDEM, sponsors of the unwanted medicine event include the Indiana Poison Center, CLS/Med-Turn and State Wide Medical Services.

Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management