Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative

Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative is a grassroots education campaign to share information about how to properly dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. When your medicines expire or are left over, we’re here to help you to properly dispose of them.

Learn More!

COVID-19 UPDATE 

Due to disruptions associated with COVID-19, access to and operating hours at the listed disposal locations may be impacted. If you have questions about a disposal site, including current access, what can be disposed of, and hours of operation, contact the site directly via the phone number listed. If you have immediate disposal needs, but are unable to physically go to a secure disposal site, visit the FDA website for additional guidance and be sure to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Find Locations

To find the nearest collection site in Cook County please enter your address below.
Before traveling to a collection site, you may want to call to verify operating hours and type of collection (not all sites collect all meds).

      Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative is a grassroots education campaign to share information about the importance of proper disposal of unused medications.

      MEDS Stands For:

      Doctor advising patient

      Management

      Studies have shown that many people aren’t taking medicines as prescribed and directed by their doctors, or as indicated on medication labels. Always follow your doctor's directions and take medicines as prescribed. Follow the directions on Drug Facts Labels for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

      Management

      Research by the National Community Pharmacists Association showed that, in 2006, almost 75% of adults did not take their prescription medicines as directed, whether by not filling a new prescription, taking less than the prescribed dose or discontinuing the medicine without notifying their doctor.

      It is important to only take a medicine as directed and to follow the label for correct dosage. If medicines were taken as directed, we would have better health outcomes and lower health care costs, including the following:

      • Fewer Hospitalizations: Proper adherence is directly associated with decreased hospitalizations, nursing home admissions and physician visits.
      • Disease Prevention: Patients who do not take their medications as directed are more likely to develop additional conditions.
      • Less Adverse Events: Providing counseling to patients to clarify their medication regimen following hospital discharge can dramatically reduce the likelihood of adverse drug events.
      Learn More
      Couple looking up information on touchpad

      Education

      Our focus is on educating Cook County residents and elected officials on how to safely store and properly dispose of expired, unused or unwanted medicines.

      Education

      Except in limited cases, expired, unused and unwanted medicines should not be flushed down the toilet or sink. Proper disposal means taking these medications to a secure collection site.

      Remember, it’s also important to remove all identifiable information from pill bottles before recycling or reusing them. 

      Learn More
      phone-map-2

      Disposal

      Community drop-off locations allow the public to bring medication to a centralized location to be properly disposed. We've created a database of medication disposal sites throughout Cook County. Simply enter your address above to find the sites closest to you.

      Disposal

      When looking for a community disposal program in your area, only seek out programs that are structured to prevent theft or diversion of unused medication and protect patient privacy. This means not returning medications to unlocked or unsupervised drop off locations or boxes, as this may contribute to drug abuse and diversion.

      Learn More
      Child with pet

      Storage

      It’s important to properly store the remaining medications you want to keep so that children and pets aren’t able to access them intentionally or unintentionally.

      Storage

      Many people use their bathroom medicine cabinet as the preferred storage spot for their medications. It may even be yours. But there may be a risk of exposing your medicine to heat and moisture, which could affect its ingredients. Pay close attention to the directions for storage on the prescription insert provided by your pharmacist and on the medication label, and, when in doubt, store your medicine in a cool, dry place.

      It is also important to store medications securely to prevent accidental ingestion or misuse. When medicines are misused or fall into the wrong hands, it can be the result of medications not being properly stored. Keep your medicines away from the reach of children, teenagers and pets to avoid accidental ingestion, as well as to prevent use of these medicines by anyone other than the person for whom they were prescribed.

      Learn More

      Resources

      FDA
      DEA
      EPA
      Cook County Sheriff
      Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
      IL EPA

      Partners

      Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative is pleased to work with the following organizations to help spread information on the need for proper disposal of unused medications:

      AIDS Foundation of ChicagoAmerican Cancer SocietyAssociation for Accessible MedicinesBioBrookfield Police DepartmentCatholic Charities - Archdiocese of ChicagoCenter for Healthcare InnovationChicago Department of Public HealthChicago Urban LeagueChicagoland Chamber of CommerceCHPAEast Hazel Crest Police DepartmentEpilepsy Foundation Greater ChicagoHorizon PharmaIllinois Academy of Family PhysiciansIllinois Biotechnology Industry OrganizationIllinois Manufacturers' Association Illinois Pharmacists AssociationKidney Cancer AssociationLa Grange Police DepartmentLive4LaliNational Association of Hispanic NursesNational Hispanic Life Sciences SocietyNational Kidney Foundation of IllinoisOpioid Addiction Recovery ServicesPastors 4 PCORPhRMARush to LiveSisters Working It OutSouthland Ministerial Health NetworkVantage Clinical ConsultingWalgreensWomen In Bio - Chicago

      Take Action

      We’re on a mission to keep our families safe, to grow stronger communities and do our part in protecting our local neighborhoods from drug diversion and misuse. And we think that’s a mission everyone may want to join!

      How can you do your part to advocate for a stronger community in your hometown?

      • Be an example of safe habits. Always take medications as prescribed and follow best practices for secure storage and drug disposal as soon as those medications are no longer needed.
      • Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
      • Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news and updates from the Cook County MEDS Disposal Initiative.

      Sign up to receive our newsletter

      Contact Us

      Please enter your name.
      Please enter a message.
      Send

      Additional Resources

      Cook County Sheriff's Prescription Drug Take Back Program

      Cook County Sheriff's Prescription Drug Take Back Program