Drug / Medicine Disposal

Looking to dispose of unwanted or expired medications? It's now easier than ever -- thanks to convenient new permanent drop-boxes in several Clackamas County locations.

Drop-Off Locations & Hours

(closed holidays, unless otherwise noted)

Gladstone Police Department
535 Portland Ave., Gladstone, OR 97027
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Milwaukie Police Department
3200 SE Harrison, Milwaukie, OR 97222
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Clackamas County Sheriff Main Office
9101 SE Sunnybrook Blvd, Clackamas, OR 97015
Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Weekends/Holidays 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Oregon City Police Department
320 Warner Milne Road, Oregon City, OR 97045
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

West Linn Police Department
1800 8th Avenue, West Linn, OR 97068
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Wilsonville Police Department
Service is no longer available.
The closest location in Wilsonville is CVS Pharmacy in the Target store at the Argyle Shopping Center
25925 SW Heather Place, Wilsonville, OR 97070

What is accepted and not accepted in the boxes

Acceptable items for deposit include:

•  Prescription medications and samples
•  All over-the-counter medications
•  Vitamins
•  Pet medications
•  Medicated ointment tubes
•  Liquid medication in leak proof containers

 Items not acceptable for deposit:

•  Thermometers/Sharps/Syringes
•  Bloody or infectious waste
•  Hydrogen peroxide
•  Aerosol cans
•  IV bags
•  Inhalers
•  EpiPens

For information on disposal options for these items, call Metro's Recycling Information hotline, 503-234-3000, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Or Find an Option online. 

For additional locations throughout the state, visit Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Additional Disposal Options

One-Day-Only Drug Take Back Events

The City of Lake Oswego, working with the Drug Enforcement Agency, offers a free one-day-only drug take back event twice per year - once in the spring, and once in the fall.

At these events, unwanted prescription drugs are collected from the public so that they can be disposed of properly and in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations. 

Unwanted medicines are collected from individual households only. Medications cannot be accepted from businesses such as nursing homes, doctor’s offices or any other institution or business.

Acceptable items for collection are:

•  Expired or unwanted prescription medicine
•  Unknown tablets and capsules
•  Veterinary medications
•  Vape pens or other e‐cigarette devices (only if the batteries are removed)

No thermometers, sharps or medical waste or equipment will be collected.  (These items can be taken to Metro’s Hazardous Waste Collection for safe disposal. Republic Services, our local hauler, offers collection and disposal for sharps - 503 636-3011.)  Medical Teams International in Tigard may accept unopened over-the-counter medicines and syringes (no outdated products or personal prescriptions).  Their number is 503-624-1028.

Metro Hazardous Waste Facility

You can take these medicines to the Metro’s Hazardous Waste Facility (2001 Washington St., Oregon City, 503-234-3000). Someone taking their medications to this facility would be charged $5 for up to 35 gallons of hazardous waste. So, this is a good opportunity to take other hazardous materials (such as antifreeze, batteries, pesticides, etc.) in at the same time.

Garbage

In terms of dry capsules, it is not considered an environmental hazard to put these in the garbage can for disposal. The only thing that would be a hazard is the possibility of someone getting into the garbage and finding the medicine. To avoid this, take them out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash.

 A few other things to consider:

  • Do not flush prescription drugs or other medicine down the toilet or drain unless the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so. This includes common medicines like aspirin and cough syrup. In a recent study of 139 streams in 30 states, drugs turned up in 80% of the samples. Filtration and treatment can only do so much to purify our drinking water.
  • Ask your pharmacy if it takes back unused prescriptions.
  • Expired or unwanted medications can be emptied into the garbage. (Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds. Put in sealed container.)