Please do not flush medications down the toilet! Scientific studies show the chemicals in many drugs can harm aquatic life. Wastewater treatment facilities are not equipped to remove all traces of pharmaceutical chemicals. If you flush your drugs, those contaminants will reach local waters.

Pleasant Hill residents can safely dispose of medications in the following ways:

• Check with your pharmacy to see if it offers a take-back program for your non-controlled (non-narcotic) drugs.
• Pour pills into a quart-size sealable plastic bag (recycle the empty containers as appropriate); liquids should be left in their bottles, but still put into a sealed plastic bag to prevent leakage. Dispose of your medications at one of these locations:
• City of Pleasant Hill, Police Department- 330 Civic Dr.
• City of Concord, Police Department- 1350 Galindo St.
• City of Martinez, Police Department, City Hall- 525 Henrietta St.
• City of Walnut Creek, Police Department, City Hall- 1666 North Main St.
• If you are unable to take your medications to one of the drop-off locations, AS A LAST RESORT you may put them in the trash:
• Take them out of their original containers
• Put them in a sealable container
• Mix is a little water and an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter
• Seal the container, put in the trash
• Black out personal information from prescription labels before putting medication containers in the recycling bin or trash