National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day Date in the current year: April 17, 2026

Many people have unused or expired over-the-counter and prescription medications in their medicine cabinets. According to statistics, approximately one-third of the six billion prescriptions filled in the United States each year go unused. Some of these unused medications are saved “just in case”, which creates a risk of misuse, abuse, or accidental poisoning. Some unused drugs are improperly discarded, which contributes to environmental harm and antibiotic resistance.

This is why it is important to periodically clean out your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of expired and unused medications, especially strong medications that carry a risk of abuse, such as opioids and benzodiazepines. Do not keep expired medications in case you might need them. Most medications gradually lose potency after their expiration date, becoming less effective and eventually useless.

Never simply throw medications in the trash because it is dangerous for the environment. The FDA has a list of medicines that can be flushed. However, these medications have been added to the flush list not because they are environmentally safe, but because they are dangerous when taken inappropriately and carry a high risk of abuse, so the risk of accidental exposure outweighs environmental harm. Therefore, flushing is only an option for a very limited list of prescription drugs.

So, what is the best way to safely dispose of unused or expired medications? Actually, there are several ways. For instance, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hosts National Take Back Days twice a year, in April and October. On these days, people can take their unused medications to temporary drug take-back locations set up nationwide. Local take-back events may also be organized by local law enforcement agencies.

Some pharmacies and healthcare facilities are registered with the DEA as drug take-back locations. These locations may offer on-site drop-off boxes or prepaid mail-back envelopes for drugs. Another option is at-home disposal kits. These kits include a sealable container for safe disposal and a substance that renders medications’ active ingredients unusable.

If you do not have access to drug take-back locations, mail-back envelopes, or at-home disposal kits and the drugs you need to dispose of are not on the flush list, you should follow a few simple steps to dispose of them safely. First, remove the drugs from their original containers. Then, mix them with something unappealing, such as used coffee grounds, cat litter, or dirt. Do not crush capsules or tablets before mixing them. Place the mixture in a tightly sealed container and throw it in your home trash.

National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day was launched in 2019 by DisposeRx, a North Carolina-based company that produces at-home medication disposal packets. These packets provide people with a safe, easy, affordable, and accessible way to dispose of leftover or expired medications. The day’s main goal is to raise awareness of the risks associated with keeping leftover or expired medications at home and to educate the public about proper disposal methods.