Safe Disposal of Pharmaceuticals/Medications
Please do not flush your medicines down the toilet.
Drop-off Locations
Expired and unwanted pharmaceutical drugs can be dropped off at the following locations. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs are accepted.
NO liquid medications*, supplements or vitamins**, or sharps are accepted. Please see Sharps/Syringes/Needles page for more information on their disposal.
Take pills and capsules out of original bottles before placing them in a clear resealable bag for delivery. See info on container recycling below.
Aurora - Walgreens
Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.
1221 N Lake St., Aurora, IL 60123 / 630-264-6269
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
Batavia Police Department (City of Batavia Residents ONLY)
100 N Island, Batavia, IL 60510 / 630-454-2500
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
East Dundee, Dundee Township Supervisor's Office
Note: This office WILL take inhalers
611 E. Main Street, Suite 201, East Dundee, IL 60118 / 847-428-8092, ext. 4.
Hours: M-F 9am-5:30pm
Elgin Police Department (City of Elgin Residents ONLY)
Note: Only Pills, capsules, and tablets received at this location
151 Douglas Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 / 847-289-2500
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
Elgin - Walgreens
Note: No syringes, liquids, or inhalers.
1700 Larkin Ave., Elgin, IL 60123 / 847-695-1158
Geneva Police Department
(City of Geneva Residents ONLY)
Note: No syringes/needles
20 Police Plaza, Geneva, IL 60134 / 630-232-4736
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
Geneva, Kane County Coroner's Office
This drop-off is now closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. See here for the memo.
Government Center, 719 Batavia Ave. Geneva, IL 60134 / 630-232-3535
Hours: M-F 8:30am-4:30pm
Huntley Police Department
Note: Only Pills, capsules, and tablets received at this location
10911 E. Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142 / 847-515-5311
Hours: M-F 8am-5pm (excluding holidays)
Montgomery - Walgreens
Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.
1799 Douglas Rd., Montgomery, IL 60538 / 630-896-6960
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville, IL 60540 / 630-420-6095
Hours: Sat & Sun 9-2pm (except holidays)
Naperville - Walgreens
Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, or inhalers.
63 W 87th St., Naperville, IL 60565 / 630-778-7645
Hours: 7 days, 24 hours
Oswego Fox Metro Office
682 Rt 31, Oswego, IL 60543 / 630-892-4378Hours: M-F 8am-4:30pm
Pingree Grove Police Department Note: No syringes/needles1 Police Plaza, Pingree Grove, IL 60140 / 847-464-4600
Hours: M-F 7:30am-2:30pm
South Elgin Police Department (Village of South Elgin Residents ONLY)
Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, medical marijuana or illicit drugs.
See
here for full list of accepted (and not accepted) items.
10 N. Water Street, South Elgin, IL 60177 / 847-741-2151
Hours: M-F 8:30am-5pm
St. Charles, Kane County Sheriff's Office
37W755 Il Route 38 # A, St. Charles, IL 60175 / 630-232-6840
Hours: M-F 8:30am-5pm
St. Charles Police Department (City of St. Charles Residents ONLY)
Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, inhalers. Keep pills in bottles for this location only.
1515 W. Main St., St Charles, IL 60174 / 630-377-4435
Hours: M-F 7:30am-10:30am; Sat 8am-4pm; Sun closed
Sugar Grove Police Department Note: No syringes/needles, liquids, inhalers.10 S Municipal Dr., Sugar Grove, IL 60554 / 630-466-4526
Hours: M-F 7am-4:30pm
* You may call the locations to double check as some will take liquid medications though most do not. Liquid medications can be disposed of in the trash by leaving them in the bottle and removing all identifying information. An added measure would be to mix them with coffee grounds in a resealable container or bag before disposing in the trash.
** Supplements like vitamins are not a controlled substance and do not pose a hazard, so they can go in with your regular trash.
Container Recycling: White or other colored plastic vitamin bottles are recyclable in your curbside bin when emptied. But the orange plastic pharmaceutical containers are not recyclable because there is not a market for that type of plastic, so do not put them into your curbside bin please; you can put them in the trash or they ARE reusable! They are great for paperclips, beads, sewing needles, spices, and many other creative reuses.
Mail-in Programs through Pharmacies
Your local Walgreens and CVS Pharmacies carry envelopes in which unwanted or expired medications can be shipped for responsible disposal. They cost around $4 for an 11in x 8in prepaid postage envelope. Instructions for proper disposal are clearly written on the envelope.
Take-Back Programs
NEW:
Go-to-Guide for Safe Drug Take-Back
