Safely Dispose of Drugs

With proper disposal, everyone can do their part by reducing the amount of prescription drugs reaching our environment.  

NEVER FLUSH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OR WASH DOWN THE SINK!  

Safely dispose of medications at the self-service disposal vault in the Police Department lobby from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

All types of medications are accepted including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and veterinary medicines - tablets, liquids, ointments, or pads. However, no sharps, inhalers, medical equipment, medical wastes or hydrogen peroxide can be accepted.  

prescription drugs photo1

Police Department Safe Drug Disposal

  1. Physical Address
    2525 Rochester Road
    Suite 500
    Cranberry Township, PA 16066


    Directions


Syringes cannot be recycled!
Syringes, needles, lancets and other sharps pose a major safety hazard to recycling plant workers. 

To safely dispose of syringes, needles, lancets, and other medical sharps

  • Place the used item into an empty household plastic container or coffee can. Bleach and detergent bottles are best so needles can’t poke through. Do not use glass containers, which can break.
  • Tape or screw the lid shut.
  • Write “Do Not Recycle” on the outside.
  • Place it in your GRAY-TOP garbage cart.

Do not recycle these items: Instead, place into a securely-fastened plastic bag and dispose with your regular garbage in your GRAY-TOP garbage cart.

  • Soiled bandages
  • Disposable sheets
  • Medical gloves
  • Adult or baby diapers
  • Home-generated medical waste, or materials contaminated with body excrement or secretions.

Never flush medications of any type down the toilet!

The variety and quantity of prescription drugs is a concern to wastewater treatment facilities due to their inability to remove them effectively.

Cranberry Township's Brush Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is designed to remove and alter organic wastes and biological pollutants through the use of physical, chemical, and biological processes. The two primary by-products of the treatment system are sludge and effluent water. Synthetic drugs cannot be separated from the sludge and effluent water.

Most pharmaceutical drugs drop out with the sludge, but a small amount passes through the wastewater treatment system. It is carried downstream, negatively affecting wildlife and the environment. This drug drop-out also threatens potable water treatment plants that were not designed to remove these types of pollutants effectively.