Bring Your Old and Unused Medications to Rexall for Safe Disposal

Zoomer | June 27th, 2019

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Medications are a vital part of our lives and they play an important role in treating various conditions and diseases. When these medications are no longer required or expire, the cough and cold medications, ointments and pain medications that you may have in your home, need to be safely disposed. Safe disposal of medication is necessary to ensure that old, expired or no longer needed medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused. Safely disposing medication also ensures that unnecessary chemicals and products are not released into the environment.

At Rexall, we understand that safe disposal of medications is key to keeping you and your loved ones safe. August is National Drug Drop-off month and, in efforts to support safer homes and communities, your local Rexall Pharmacy offers a Medications Take Back service year-round, at no charge. Medications Take Back is a complimentary service; simply drop off your old and or expired medications to any Rexall Pharmacy for safe disposal.

Why should I clean out my medication cabinet?

It is important to check your medicine cabinet and home regularly for medications that are old, expired or no longer needed, to ensure they are disposed of quickly and safely. Old, expired, and unused medications can be accidentally used or intentionally misused, which can put the ones you love and others in your home, including pets and children, at risk. To avoid accidents and misuse, remember to keep all medications out of reach in a non-accessible place.

Additionally, medications which have passed their expiration date, including over-the-counter (OTC) products, vitamins and minerals, may start to degrade and become less effective. Some expired medications can also become dangerous as they degrade so it is best to dispose of them right away.

Where do I take all my old, unused, expired medications?

One of the easiest, convenient, and safest ways to dispose of your unwanted medication is to bring them to your local Rexall Pharmacy. Your Rexall Pharmacist is happy to help facilitate the correct and safe disposal of all your old, unused and/or expired medications at no cost to you! Your local Rexall pharmacy will accept all returns, including medication that was not purchased at Rexall pharmacy.

Why should I safely dispose of my old, unused, expired medications at my Rexall pharmacy?

Having old, expired and unused medications in your home can easily put you and your loved ones at risk of accidental use or intentional misuse. One in 10 teens admit to having taken a legal prescription drug in the past year to get high and 55 % of those kids say they took them from their home.¹ Help keep your community safe and healthy by safely disposing old, unused and expired medications.

As well, the incorrect disposal of medication can have a negative impact on our environment. Flushing drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the garbage has led to traces of pharmaceuticals in soil and water. Currently levels are very low but as the use of medications increases, the buildup of this waste over time can have detrimental effects on us and our environment.² Your Rexall pharmacy has access to a specialized service which ensures safe and proper disposal of medications.

What can I take back to my local Rexall pharmacy?

You can return:

All prescription medications (such as ointments, tablets and capsules)
Over-the-counter (OTC) products (such as cough syrup, pain medications)
Natural health products (such as vitamins and supplements)
Inhalers and devices (such as epinephrine autoinjectors)
Needles or sharps in appropriate disposal containers (for your safety and the safety of our staff, needles and sharps will only be accepted in appropriate sharps containers, which you can obtain from your local Rexall Pharmacy)

For additional information on the safe disposal of different types of medications and OTC products, speak with your Rexall Pharmacist.

Visit your local Rexall Pharmacy today to learn more about how your Pharmacist can help you safely dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications and OTC products. Together let’s keep our homes, communities and the environment healthy and safe for everyone.

CARP members save 20% on all regular priced Rexall private brands, every day, just by showing your card.

_References:
_{¹https://www.drugfreekidscanada.org/about-us/families-come-help/}
_{²https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/safe-disposal-prescription-drugs.html/}