Old pills pile up in medicine cabinets

Unused prescription and over-the-counter medications pose risks to children, teens, and the environment if not disposed of properly. They can contaminate water supplies and harm aquatic life.

FDA recommends official take-back programs

The Food and Drug Administration suggests dropping medications at take-back locations or mailing them in prepaid envelopes to be incinerated. Colorado's state-funded program has collected over 400,000 pounds since 2016.

Rural areas lack convenient drop-off sites

While Colorado has over 300 drop-off locations and national take-back events happen twice yearly, rural communities still struggle to access these programs. At-home disposal products fill this gap.

Don't flush or trash old medications

Flushing deposits drugs into wastewater where they won't be filtered out. Throwing pills in the trash risks contaminating soil and groundwater at landfills, plus making them accessible to animals and people.

Pill Terminator dissolves medications

This one-time use bottle converts powder into gelatin when water is added. Testing showed it worked better with warm water but left some intact pills and capsules trapped in the gel, meaning medications could potentially be retrieved.

Deterra uses activated charcoal

This biodegradable pouch deactivates most organic medications including opioids and illicit drugs. Testing found it worked well with warm water, though extended-release capsules and some tablets remained partially intact after several hours.

“The average time to deactivate 89% of the medication is eight hours; two days for 96%; and two weeks for 99%-100%.”

NarcX+ handles the widest range

This reusable liquid bottle is the only product marketed for illicit drugs like fentanyl and cocaine alongside prescription medications. It took about a week to fully dissolve all pills but proved effective even beyond recommended capacity.

Each product has trade-offs

Pill Terminator is simple but leaves some pills intact. Deterra works quickly but can't handle all medication types. NarcX+ handles the most drugs but requires more time. Choose based on what medications you need to dispose of.