Properly Disposing of Medications Helps to Keep our Communities Safer

Safe storage and proper disposal of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications helps to keep our communities healthier, cleaner, and safer by reducing the potential for drug misuse, drug diversion, and contamination of our soil and water. Prescription drop boxes are a safe, convenient, and confidential way to dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications. Prescription drop boxes provide many benefits to our communities including:

  • An opportunity to educate the community about the dangers these medications pose, if left unwanted in homes or improperly discarded.

  • A reduction of access to addictive medications for accidental or intentional misuse by children or others in the home.

  • A decrease of water contamination due to pharmaceutical medications being flushed down the drains in our homes, or contained in our landfills.

Since 2013, Healthy Acadia has worked in partnership with Maine Prevention Services, Drug-Free Communities, local police departments, Sheriff's Offices, and pharmacies to install and maintain prescription drop boxes throughout Hancock and Washington counties. We're thrilled to announce the recent installation of two new drop boxes in Washington County. On December 23, 2020, Healthy Acadia staff, along with Colin Ackley and Mike Roukas, installed new prescription drop boxes at Machias Family Pharmacy and Eastport Family Pharmacy. Drop boxes, offering free and anonymous disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications* that are expired or no longer needed, are now available in 14 locations acrosss Hancock and Washington counties.

*NO syringes, liquids, medical devices, needles, broken glass, or sharps of any kind can be accepted through drop boxes. For more information about safe disposal of needles, syringes, or medical sharps click here or call the Maine DEP Biomedical Waste Program at (207) 287-7704.

For a complete list of prescription drug drop box locations or more information about safe storage and proper disposal of medications, click here.

Tracey CarlsonCE, SPR