Frequently Asked Questions

MED-Project is the entity implementing the Product Stewardship Plan, including the education and outreach programming. Residents can get more information about what is in their area by visiting our website at med-project.org.

If you are having a medical emergency, contact emergency medical services immediately by dialing 911.

If you think you have ingested something poisonous, contact emergency services immediately. Please dial 911 or contact your local poison control center.

If you believe your pet may have ingested human or animal medication not intended for consumption by your pet, please contact your veterinarian or local animal poison control hotline.

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) provides information regarding Proposition 65. Information can be accessed via OEHHA’s Proposition 65 web site.

MED-Project is providing disposal locations throughout your community.

Please direct all questions about your medication to your healthcare provider.

You should follow any storage instructions provided by your healthcare provider and any written instructions provided with your medication or listed on its packaging.

In addition, many government agencies provide information regarding the safe storage of medication. Possible sources include the National Institutes of Health’s information page and the Center for Disease Control’s information page.

Please visit our website (med-project.org) for more information about items that can be disposed of in your area.

Please remove all personal and identifying information from labels and/or packaging before disposal of expired or unwanted household medication.

There will be no fee for the disposal of your unwanted household medication through the MED-Project program.

Do not place medication in the trash, recycling, or green waste container, and never flush them down the sink or toilet.

To learn about MED-Project take-back events in your area, please call 1-844-MED-PROJECT or visit the Take-Back Events section of our website.

For more information about the Mail-Back services available, please call 1-844-MED-PROJECT or visit the Mail-Back Services section of our website.

Several government agencies provide information regarding safe disposal of medication. Please refer to the FDA’s website for more information: “Consumer Updates: How to Dispose of Unused Medicines”.

The following disposal options and sequence should be considered when disposing of expired or unwanted household medication:

Medicine Usage: If there are any specific instructions for disposal on the label, package or package insert, please follow those instructions. For more information, please visit the Medicine Usage section of our website.

Safe Storage: It is important that patients take their medicine as prescribed by their health care provider and as indicated on the label or packaging. It is also important to be sure to store medicines securely to prevent accidental ingestion or misuse by others, especially children. For more information, please visit the Safe Storage Information section of our website.

Convenient Locations: Community kiosk drop-off sites allow residents to bring expired or unwanted medicines to free and convenient locations for proper disposal. For more information, please visit the Convenient Locations section of our website.

Mail-Back Packages: Mail-Back services may be available to residents upon request. For more information, please visit the Mail-Back section of our website.

Take-Back Events: Take advantage of programs that allow the public to take unwanted medicines to a central location for proper disposal. Call your local law enforcement agencies to see if they sponsor medicine take-back programs in your community. For more information, visit the Take-Back Events section of our website.

In-Home Disposal: If no disposal instructions are given on the drug labeling and no take-back program is available in your area, throw the drugs in the household trash following these steps:

1. Remove them from their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds, dirt, or kitty litter (this makes the drug less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through the trash seeking drugs).
2. Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the drug from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.

Never dispose of medication or sharps down the sink or toilet; and do not place sharps in the trash or recycling. Doing so may put waste management and sewage workers, custodians, housekeepers, household members and children at risk of being harmed.

To protect your privacy, please remove all personally identifiable information on medication labels or packaging before disposing of unwanted medicine.

For more information, please call 1-844-MED-PROJECT.