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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day: Protecting Our Waterways Starts at Home

Monday, Oct 19, 2026

Graphic promoting DEA National Prescription Take Back Day, showing an overturned orange pill bottle with several capsules spilling out. The event logo appears prominently with the words “DEA National Rx Take Back Day.”

Have unused or expired medications sitting in a cabinet or drawer? Oct. 24 is a good time to dispose of them safely.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unwanted prescription medications while raising awareness about the potential for medication misuse and abuse.

The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

But safely disposing of unwanted medications isn't just about what's in your medicine cabinet. It's also about protecting the environment.

Why Proper Disposal Matters

Flushing unused medications down the toilet or pouring them down a drain may seem like an easy solution, but those medications can make their way into wastewater systems and, in some cases, the environment.

Wastewater treatment systems are not designed to remove every type of medication. When pharmaceutical compounds enter waterways, they can contribute to concerns about water quality and potential impacts on aquatic life.
The best way to keep unwanted medications out of sinks, toilets and the environment is to use an appropriate disposal option.

Find a Collection Site Near You

On Take Back Day, communities across the country will offer collection sites where members of the public can safely dispose of unwanted medications.

Search by ZIP code or city and state to find a collection site near you.

Can't make it on Oct. 24? DEA-authorized collectors also provide year-round drop-off locations where the public can dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals.

Graphic showing a map with numerous red location pins indicating medication drop-off sites. On the left, icons accompany the phrases “Clean them out,” “Take them back,” and “All year long.” At the bottom left, an illustrated drop box is shown with prescription bottles falling toward it. A DEA National Take Back logo appears on the map.Before you Throw it Away, Take it Back

A few minutes spent cleaning out a medicine cabinet can help keep medications out of the wrong hands and out of our waterways.

This National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, take back your unwanted medications and help protect South Carolina's people and environment.

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Find a collection site. Dispose responsibly. Protect our waterways.

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