Medication drop-off boxes available in Kitsap County, Washington

Kitsap County in the US state of Washington installed eight secure kiosks last week to provide residents with a safe method of disposing of unwanted or expired drugs.

Officials with the Kitsap Public Health District said that it would install extra drop-boxes in the future as part of a programme with drug manufacturers that pay for the collection and disposal of unwanted medications.

There is no charge for county residents to use the drop-boxes, but there are a few restrictions on the types of substances that will be accepted. Prohibited items include medications containing iodine, aerosols, sharp implements, cosmetics, medical devices, thermometers containing mercury, and illegal drugs.

Residents may also dispose of their unwanted medications via the mail by requesting and returning a postage-paid envelope.

County health officials expect that the drop-box programme will reduce accidental use and abuse of drugs and also prevent harm to the environment caused by improper disposal. The county will incinerate all drugs deposited in the kiosks.

State law prohibits the disposal of drugs by throwing them in the rubbish or flushing them down the toilet. Before the implementation of the drop-box programme, the only option available in the country was for residents to bring their unwanted medications to local law enforcement facilities.

Kitsap is the third county in the state to authorise a medication drop-box programme. A bill currently awaiting the signature of the state’s governor, Jay Inslee, would require pharmaceutical companies to pay for a drug-collection programme in every county.