MedDrop - The Best Place to Get Rid of Medicines
Leftover and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can be found in every household in the county. Last year unintentional poisonings killed more Dane County residents than automobile crashes. Misuse or abuse of prescription, over-the-counter or illicit drugs are the major cause. Pain medication when misused, can be especially fatal.
Medicine Safety: It’s Up to You! Always Handle Medications Wisely
- Use medication exactly as prescribed.
- Store medicines away from family and friends.
- Get rid of expired and leftover medicine.
- Do not flush medicine! Take unwanted medicine to a MedDrop box.
Safe Communities More Than Doubles MedDrop Box Locations!
As of April 30th, every Dane County resident is just minutes from a MedDrop box. Six new locations are being added to the original four. There are now 10 boxes to use year round to get rid of your unwanted medicines. Safe Communities Drug Poisoning Summit identified expansion of MedDrop boxes as a key strategy to reduce access to drugs.
- Cambridge Police Department - 200 South Spring Street (view map) – call (608) 423-4328 for hours of operation
- Deerfield Police Department - 7 West Deerfield Street (view map) – call (608) 764-5626 for hours of operation
- Fitchburg Police Department - 5520 Lacy Road (view map)
– available 7:30 am-4:30 pm Monday-Friday - Madison Police East Precinct, 809 South Thompson Drive (view map) – available 8am-4pm Monday-Friday .
- Madison Police West District - 1710 McKenna Blvd. (view map) – (608) 243-0500 – available 8am-4pm Monday-Friday
- Mazomanie Police Department - 133 Crescent Street (view map) – call (608) 767-2762 for hours of operation
- McFarland Police Department - 5915 Milwaukee Street (view map) – (608) 838-3151 Available 8am-9pm Monday-Friday
- Middleton Police Department - 7341 Donna Drive (view map) – (608) 824-7300 – available 24 hours in the lobby
- Sun Prairie Police Department - 300 E. Main Street (view map) – (608) 837-7336 – available 24 hours in the lobby
- Waunakee Police Department - 205 N. Klein Drive (view map) – (608) 849 4523 – available 8am-6pm Monday-Friday
How to use MedDrop
To dispose of medications in the MedDrop drop boxes, please bring your unused or expired medication and a ziplock or other resealable bag to the MedDrop police department.
Empty contents of pill bottles into a zip lock bag and recycle your pill bottles.
Leave liquids, gels or creams in their original containers and place them in a ziplock bag as well.
Put sealed ziplock bags into the MedDrop box.
List of items you can and can't dispose of at MedDrop drop boxes is listed above on the right.
The benefits of using MedDrop
People want to get unused medicines out of the house because unwanted drugs may unintentionally be consumed by children and others. Medications can also be scavenged from trash and sold illegally.
Improper disposal of medicines can contaminate area rivers, lakes and streams. Medicines collected at the MedDrop locations are incinerated and disposed of in the most environmentally safe method currently available.