Recycling in Chicago: Prescription Medications

Why should you recycle your expired or unused medications instead of flushing them down the toilet?

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) treats wastewater and provides stormwater management for Chicago and 128 suburban communities in Cook County. According to the MWRD’s Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, Allison Fore, “Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to process pharmaceutical waste. As a result, medications which pass through the system are released into area waterways and can harm aquatic life.”

The MWRD has a blue Medsafe drug dropoff box in the lobby of its office building at 100 E. Erie St. (9 a.m.-6 p.m. M-F). If the box is locked, do not leave it outside; come back another time.

Dropoff boxes are also available 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 7 days a week outside MWRD’s three water reclamation plants: Stickney WRP, 6000 W. Pershing Road, Cicero 708.588.3000; Calumet WRP, 400 E. 130th St, Chicago, 773.256.3500; and O’Brien WRP, 3500 Howard St., Skokie, 847.568.8223.

Medications generally should be in their original packaging and containers when possible. Use a permanent marker to block out your name and

personal information. Liquid containers should be placed in plastic bags. Illegal drugs, liquid containers of more than 4 ounces, sharps containers, needles, syringes, medical devices and other hazardous materials are not accepted. If you are dropping off outside your hometown, check with the site to see if they accept meds from nonresidents. Meds will not be reused, but destroyed responsibly.

All Chicago Police Department facilities accept unwanted medicines through the MWRD program. For more information, call 311 or visit cityofchicago.org.

The City of Chicago’s Household Chemical & Computer Recycling Facility at 1150 N. Branch St. accepts unused or expired prescriptions – non-controlled substances only, from 7 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, 2-7 p.m. Thursdays and 8 a.m.- 3p.m. first Saturday of the month.

Other drop off sites include:

• Evanston Police Department Dropbox, 1454 Elmwood Ave., 847.866.5000 (Open 24/7)

• Kenilworth Police Department, 419 Richmond Road, 847.251.2141 Monday-Friday 24 hours

• Oak Park Police Department (Dropbox) 123 Madison St., 708.383.6400 (Open 24/7)

• Park Ridge City Hall Health Department 505 Butler Place 847.318.5291 First Thursday of the month, 8-11 a.m.

• Skokie Courthouse (Dropbox) 5600 Old Orchard Road, 847.470.7280 Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. No liquid forms of medication.

• Wilmette Police Station (Dropbox) 710 Ridge Road, 847.256.1200 (Open 24/7) Medications only, no needles.

• Winnetka Fire Department, 428 Green Bay Road, 847.501.6029. Medications: Monday-Friday 8:30- 4 p.m.; sharps Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

• The full list is available at mwrd. org/medication-disposal

CVS offers prescription medicine disposal at 1200 N. Ashland Ave., 773.342.5917; 2815 N. Western Ave., 773.486.4102; 345 Madison St., Oak Park 708.386.2157 Walgreens offers unwanted prescription medicine dropoff at 151 N. State St., 312.863.4249; 2001 N. Milwaukee Ave.773.772.2370; 3201 N. Broadway, 773.327.3591 and 811 Madison St., Oak Park, 708.383.9009

DisposeRx home medication disposal packets are available at Walgreen stores without disposals at no cost upon request. When water and the DisposeRx proprietary solidifying materials are added to the prescription vial and shaken, the drugs are dissolved and locked in a viscous polymer gel that can safely be disposed in the trash. CVS offers DisposeRx packets to people filling an opioid for the first time.

More information is available at www.cvs.com/content/safer-communities-locate, www.walgreens. com/topic/pharmacy/safe-medication-disposal.jsp and https:// safe.pharmacy/drug-disposal/