New Hanover Medical Mall

The public is invited to bring their unneeded and expired medications to be disposed of in a safe, convenient and environmentally sound manner.

All medications brought to the event should be in their original containers to help identify the medication. The Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will be on hand to accept controlled substances. Medications can be prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins or herbal.

Having unnecessary medications in the home can be a hazard. Old medications could be confused with current medications; children could be poisoned by them; and pets could be harmed if they ingest medications dropped and not picked up. Proper disposal of unused medications also prevents them from falling into the wrong hands and being distributed illegally or being used by someone who is abusing prescription medication.

In addition, improper disposal of old medications can have an adverse affect on the environment. Pills flushed down the sink or toilets go directly into the public water system. Throwing unwanted medications in the trash allows them to break down over time and leach into the groundwater.

“I became interested in this problem when I kept hearing about medicine in the water supply of cities all across the country,” says Kathy Rawlings, RN Case Manager and Nurse Educator for the Outpatient Pharmacy at NHRMC.

“We are lucky to have our river and our waterways, so it is vital to protect them. I think people recognize that there is a safety issue, but they’re just not sure what to do about it. This event will empower people to take action and make a difference.”