Some folks like leftovers, and some don’t. What about leftover medications?
The problem with leftover medications is that they should never be tossed in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Both these “solutions” end up poisoning everyone’s groundwater.
It’s also a bad idea to have unused prescription drugs setting around in cupboards or cabinets.
The Dallas County Health Department can assist you with unused and unneeded pills and liquid medicines. Your Health Department has available to the public free disposal bags that neutralize the drugs.
To get a medication disposal bag, call 515-993-3750 or come to the Dallas County Health Department office at 25747 N Ave., just north of Adel on U.S. Highway 169 during business hours.
The disposal process is surprisingly simple: put the medications in a disposal bag, add warm water, seal the bag and gently shake. The chemicals in the bag neutralize the chemicals in the medicine.
You may take a free bag home or bring your medications to the Dallas County Health Department to safely dispose of them.
Why not take a few minutes today to look around at home for any unused, expired or no-longer-needed cough syrup, suppositories or pills? Disposing of them properly will mean one less thing to worry about.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
