Household Waste Guide

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Medical Waste & Pharmaceuticals

In the past it was recommended that prescription drugs be flushed down the drain. This is no longer suggested as wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not able to break down the drug and it passes back into the treated water. Alternately, it is legal to place medical waste in the trash, but this, too, presents dangers. The State of Michigan has no regulations for medical waste generated in homes, but generally recommends the following as the best options for disposal.

The Kent County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program does not accept medical waste of any kind.

Disposal: Prescription Drugs

  • Please go to www.wmtakebackmeds.org for a listing of local pharmacies and law enforcement agencies accepting unwanted medications from residents for proper disposal.

Disposal: Sharps/Needles

  1. American Medical Response will accept full approved sharps containers from residents (no businesses) of Kent County during normal business hours (Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm). Please call first:
    American Medical Response
    517 S. Division, Grand Rapids
    616-459-8228
    OR
  2. Obtain a sharps mail-back container (pharmacies usually sell them) OR
  3. Obtain a sharps clipper device from your drug store to remove the needle from a syringe OR
  4. Ask if your pharmacist or health care provider will take back your used sharps OR
  5. Contact CleanWorks Harm Reduction Needle Exchange at (616) 456-9063 OR
  6. Place used sharps in a thick plastic container, like an empty bleach or laundry detergent bottle. Clearly mark the outside of the container “Medical Waste” and place in the trash. DO NOT PUT THIS CONTAINER IN YOUR RECYCLING BIN!

Additional Links

Waste Management Sharps Disposal By Mail
Waste Management and Sharps offer a variety of sizes of sharps mail-back containers that provide the all users a total system for the safe disposal of sharps waste. Each system includes the sharps container, postage-prepaid return box, tracking form and destruction at a certified medical waste resource recovery facility.

Sharps Disposal by Mail System®
The Sharps Disposal by Mail System® includes a specially designed mailable sharps container, a postage prepaid return shipping box with barcode tracking, a protective 4–mil bag liner, instructions in both English and Spanish, and a multi–part simplified manifest tracking form. The cost of the product, return shipment, disposal, and confirmation of destruction is included in the purchase price.

RxTakeaway Pharmaceutical Mail Back
Designed to safely dispose of unused pharmaceuticals and medications from individual consumers and community facilities.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Medical Waste Program

Federal Guidelines for Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs

Smart Disposal
Responsible medication disposal safeguards lives and protects the environment. Watch a video demonstration for safe disposal of medicines.