Medicine Drop Box

drugs.pngNever flush pharmaceuticals down the toilet.

The Superior Police Department, in conjunction with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department and the City of Superior Public Works Environmental Services Division, is serving as a location to bring unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals (drugs and medicines). The drop box is located in their lobby. Most drug stores in Superior, WI have dropboxes for pharmaceuticals.

Proper Disposal Leads to a Safer Community

Bringing unwanted, unused, or expired pharmaceuticals to the pharmaceutical drop box is an important step in keeping your family and community safe. Keeping these substances in your home can lead to a number of potential problems.

  • 70% of teens surveyed who take prescription medications for non-medical purposes said that they got medications from family members or friends (Partnership for a Drug-Free America).
  • 4.8% of teens surveyed by the National Survey for Drug Use and Health took pharmaceuticals from their friends or family member without asking (SAMHSA, 2010). Prescription drug abusers have also broken into homes and pharmacies with the purpose of obtaining pharmaceuticals.

    If you properly dispose of pharmaceuticals, you will help keep prescription drugs out of the hands of drug abusers.

Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

Pharmaceuticals are any product used by individuals for personal health and cosmetic reasons or used by agribusiness to enhance the growth or health of livestock. Studies have shown that certain drugs may cause ecological harm if they get into our nation’s water.

Additional helpful links:

police.jpg logo5.jpg Opens in new window 2008 logo.JPG

DID YOU KNOW?

Pharmaceuticals (drugs and medicines) enter the water when humans and animals pass drugs through their bodies. The excretion of pharmaceuticals is the largest source of this pollution, and difficult to prevent from entering sewage or septic tanks. Upgrading wastewater treatment plants to treat/manage medicine waste will cost billions and would not address the issue for septic systems. 

Another source of this pollution is unwanted pharmaceuticals being flushed down the toilet - this was once the accepted norm. Clearly, this is no longer a sound recommendation. You can make sure that these unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals by bringing them to a safe location (listed on this page) rather than flushing them down the toilet!