Getting Rid of Old Medicines Just Got Easier With UVA Health's New Drug Take-Back Locations
UVA Health has added new, secure drug take-back drop boxes inside the emergency departments at Culpeper, Haymarket, and Prince William Medical Centers. That makes it even easier to safely get rid of medicines you no longer need, no matter where you are in our region.
These new drop boxes join eight others already in place at our pharmacy locations across Central Virginia. Together, they give you more options than ever to drop off old or unwanted medicine safely, for free, and with no questions asked.
Jonathan Meli, PharmD, MS, director of pharmacy for UVA Health’s community medical centers in northern Virginia and Culpeper, says, “Many people don’t realize that keeping unused medications at home can pose safety risks. Providing secure disposal options in our emergency departments helps prevent accidental exposure, misuse, and environmental harm while supporting the safety of our patients and communities.”
Not sure why safe medicine disposal matters? Here’s what you need to know.
Why Getting Rid of Old Drugs Matters
You might think tossing old medicines in the trash or flushing them down the toilet is no big deal. But it can cause real harm.
Here’s why safe disposal matters:
- It helps keep children and pets safe. Medicines left within reach can be swallowed by accident. In fact, medicines are involved in more than 6 out of 10 accidental poisoning cases across the country.
- It helps prevent misuse. Many people who misuse prescription pain medicines get them friends or family members. Removing unused prevents that.
- It protects the environment. When medicines are flushed, they end up in rivers, lakes, and drinking water. Water treatment plants aren't designed to remove them. This can be harmful to plants, animals, and people.
How UVA Health’s Drug Take-Back Program Works
Our drug take-back program lets you drop off old or unwanted medicines safely and for free. No forms. No questions asked.
The drop boxes in our emergency departments are available to patients, visitors, and anyone in the community. You don’t need to be there for an emergency to use them.
The drop boxes are green metal boxes with a drawer on top. You slide your medicines into the drawer and close it. The medicines then drop down into a locked storage box below. Only pharmacy staff can access that box. When it’s full, the medicines are safely destroyed.
The drop boxes at our Lee Street pharmacy location sin Charlottesville are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can drop off medicines any time, day or night.
What Can I Drop Off?
You can drop off:
- Prescription medicines
- Over-the-counter medicines, like cold medicine or pain relievers
- Controlled substances
The drop boxes do not accept needles, syringes, EpiPens, or other injectable devices.
Where to Drop Off Your Medicines
Pharmacy locations:
- Outpatient Pharmacy (two boxes)
- Zion Crossroads
- Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center Pharmacy
- Pantops Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Ivy Road
- Student Health Pharmacy
- Augusta Pharmacy
- Bookstore Pharmacy
Emergency department locations (Northern Virginia & Culpeper):
UVA Health Take-Back Events & Other Ways to Drop Off
UVA Health also holds drug take-back events. We take part in National Drug Take-back Day, a twice-yearly event sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Egancy (DEA) which happens every April and October. These are a great chance to drop off medicines with extra help from our team and local partners. Keep an eye out in the fall for news about it.
Can’t make It to one of our locations? Drug take-back programs exist all over the country. You can search online to find one near you.
Cleaning out your medicine cabinet doesn’t take long. But it can make a big difference — for your family, your community, and the world around you.
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