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Looking to do your part in helping protect our waterways? Help keep our
drains drug free! The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)
encourages you to Think inside the box. Safe drug disposal means safe
water. Gather your unused and expired medications and dispose of them in
one of our permanent drug collection boxes. The 38-gallon Medsafe drug
collection boxes are located near the main gate at three water
reclamation plants (WRP) and in the lobby of the Main Office Building in
Chicago. If a box is locked, please return during hours of operation. Do
not leave medication outside the box.
Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie St., Chicago, Mon. – Fri. from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Calumet WRP, 400 E. 130th St., Chicago, 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m.
O’Brien WRP, 3500 Howard St., Skokie, 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. Stickney WRP, 6001 W. Pershing Rd., Cicero, 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m.
To read more about this our unwanted medication
collection program, visit
here. Every day the average adult uses nine personal
care products containing 126 unique compounds that could end up in our
water. In addition, to traces of products like shampoo, toothpaste,
perfume, sunscreens and cosmetics, minute amounts of prescriptions and
over-the-counter drugs enter our water. The release of unused
pharmaceuticals or over-the-counter and prescription drugs into the
sanitary sewerage system has particularly harmful impact on our
waterways. Whenever possible, it’s important to properly dispose of
those products. Controlling what goes down the drain is the easiest and
most effective way to protect the environment.
Pharmaceuticals entering the MWRD water
reclamation plants (WRP) can navigate through the water treatment plants
and enter Chicago Area Waterways, thus impacting the treatment plants,
then fish and plant-life and our groundwater and waterways.
Working with the medical community, government
agencies and the general public, the MWRD has sought ways to reduce the
release of pharmaceutical waste into the environment and alert you at
home not to flush unused medications down the drain, nor toss expired
drugs in the garbage. Prevention today will lead to a safer tomorrow.
Instead of tossing in the garbage or down the drain, you can visit
household hazardous waste disposal events or participate in unused drug
collection days.
There are many ways to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals before they
reach treatment facilities and/or the waterways. The first is to
complete the course of treatment as prescribed by the physician. For
over-the-counter products, monitor your supply and store them in one
location at home to prevent the purchase of additional or extras. Once
the pharmaceuticals are in your home, never pour them down the toilet or
drain and never give or sell them to others. In addition to the Medsafe
boxes the MWRD offers, the city of Chicago collects unwanted medicines
24 hour per day, seven days per week at all of its police facilities.
For more information about pharmaceuticals in the waterways or to find
out more about proper disposal of medical and hazardous wastes, visit
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/.
As part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National
Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the MWRD has collected nearly 1,000 pounds of
drugs in recent years. If you can’t
participate in a Drug Take-Back Day or make it into the MWRD facilities,
there are still several locations that are open year-round.
See our list below or visit the following sites
for more information:
https://w.swancc.org/programs/pharmaceuticalsharps-disposal
https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/Pages/default.aspx
Cook County
Sheriff’s Office Prescription Drug Take Back Program
Additional Pharmaceutical Disposal Locations in Cook County |
MWRD Main
Office Building
100 E. Erie St., Chicago
(312) 751-6555
Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Stickney Water
Reclamation Plant
6001 W. Pershing Rd., Cicero
(708) 588-3000
7 days/week: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Calumet Water
Reclamation Plant
400 E. 130th St., Chicago
(773) 256-3500
7 days/week: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
O’Brien Water
Reclamation Plant
3500 Howard St., Skokie
(847) 568-8223
7 days/week: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Arlington Heights Senior Center
1801 W. Central Rd.
(847) 253-5532
First Thursday of the month 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
Markham Courthouse
Sheriff's Office 16501 S. Kedzie Ave.
(708) 232-4551
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No liquid forms of medication accepted. |
Barrington Public Safety Building
400 N. Northwest Hwy.
(847) 304-3300
7 days/week: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Maywood Courthouse (Dropbox)
1500 Maybrook Dr.
(708) 865-6029
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No liquid forms of medication accepted. |
Bartlett
Village Hall
228 S. Main St.
(630) 837-0800
Last Saturday of the month: 9 a.m. to noon
Sharps accepted, but must be deposited by individuals. Staff will not touch needles. |
Morton Grove Civic Center
6140 Dempster St.
(847) 470-5223
Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
Bridgeview Courthouse
(Dropbox)
10220 S. 76th Ave.
(708) 974-6810
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No liquid forms of medication accepted. |
Mount Prospect Public Works
1700 W. Central Rd.
(847) 870-5640
Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Original containers with labels, no narcotics. |
Brookfield Village Hall Police Station
8820 Brookfield Ave.
(708) 485-7344
Open 24/7. |
Niles Police Department
(Dropbox) 7000 W. Touhy Ave.
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 588-6500
Medications only: Open 24/7. No syringes.
|
Buffalo Grove Village Hall Health
Department
50 Raupp Blvd.
(847) 459-2530
Monday: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Niles Senior Center
999 Civic Center Dr.
(847) 588-8442 Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Burr Ridge
Police Station
7700 County Line Rd.
(630) 654-8181
Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
No sharps or radioactive medications accepted, pills only in one zip lock bag. |
Northbrook Dundee Pharmacy
2750 Dundee Rd., Suite 9
(847) 480-1000 Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Prescription drugs only, no controlled substances.
|
Chicago Household Chemical & Computer Recycling Facility
1150 N. North Branch St.
(312) 744-7672
Tuesdays: 7 a.m. to noon, Thursdays: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and first Saturday of the month: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Northbrook Police Department
1401 Landwehr Rd.
(847) 564-2060 Open 24/7. Northbrook residents only.
|
Chicago
Lawndale Christian Health Center 3860 W. Ogden Ave.
(773) 843-3000
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Non-controlled substances only
|
Oak Brook
Police Department
1200 Oak Brook Rd.
(630) 368-8700
Open 24/7. |
Chicago
Well Future Pharmacy, LLC 1442 S. Michigan Ave. (312) 589-7620
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Current customers only.
|
Oak Lawn Barcus Pharmacy
4708 W. 103rd St.
(708) 425-2400 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., No liquids over 4-ozs., no sharp or radioactive items. |
Chicago Police Department
All Chicago police facilities are accepting unwanted medicines. For more information, call 311 or visit
www.cityofchicago.org
|
Oak Lawn Village Hall
9446 S. Raymond Ave.
(708) 636-4400 Call for specific days and times.
|
Chicago George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building (Dropbox) 2650 S. California Ave. (773) 674-3275
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. No liquid forms of medication accepted.
|
Oak Park Police Department (Dropbox)
123 Madison St.
(708) 383-6400 Open 24/7.
|
Elgin Police Department
(Dropbox)
154 Douglas St.
(847) 289-2700
7 days/week: 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
|
Palatine Village Hall Environmental Health Division 200 E. Wood St. (847) 359-9090 Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residential only, no controlled substance. |
Elk Grove Village Municipal Complex Fire Administration Building 901 Wellington Ave. (847) 357-4202 Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Palos Heights City Hall 7607 W. College Dr. (708) 361-1800 Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Elmhurst Police Department (Dropbox)
125 E. First St. (630) 530-3050 Open 24/7.
|
Park Ridge City Hall Health Department
505 Butler Pl.
(847) 318-5291 First Thursday of the month: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. |
Elmwood Park Public Safety Building
7420 Fullerton Ave.
(708) 453-2137 Open 24/7. No sharps or liquid forms of medication accepted. |
Prospect Heights
City Hall 8 N. Elmhurst Rd. (847) 398-6070, ext. 206 Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Evanston Police
Department (Dropbox)
1454 Elmwood Ave.
(847) 866-5000 Open 24/7.
|
Rolling Meadows Public Works 3900 Berdnick St. (847) 870-2884 Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
|
Evanston -- St. Francis Hospital Pharmacy (Dropbox) 800 Austin
St. (847) 316-2372
Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.) Non-controlled substances only.
|
Rolling Meadows Courthouse
(Dropbox)
2121 W. Euclid Ave. (847) 818-2810
Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. No liquid forms of medication accepted.
|
Glencoe Village Hall Police Department
325 Hazel Ave.
(847) 835-4112 Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Schaumburg Police Department 1000 W. Schaumburg Rd.
(847) 882-3534
Open 24/7.
|
Glenview — Inspectional Services Annex
2500 E. Lake Ave.
South of Glenview Village Hall
(847) 904-4340 First Friday of the month: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If the first Friday falls on a holiday, the collection will be
moved the following Friday.
|
Skokie Courthouse (Dropbox)
5600 Old Orchard Rd.
(847) 470-7280
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. No liquid forms of medication accepted.
|
Hoffman Estates Department of Health & Human Services
1900 Hassell Rd.
SE Entrance of Village Hall
(847) 882-9100 First Wednesday of the month: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
|
Skokie Village Hall
Health Department
5127 Oakton St. (847) 933-8252 Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Narcotic medications, controlled substances, and over-the-counter liquids are not accepted.
|
Inverness — Palatine Rural Fire Station #36
35 N. Ela Rd (847) 991-8700 Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Streamwood Fire Department
Fire Station 33
1095 E. Schaumburg Rd.
(630) 213-6300
Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Narcotic medications and controlled substances not accepted.
|
Kenilworth Police Department
419 Richmond Rd.
(847) 251-2141
Monday through Friday: 24 hours.
|
Tinley Park Police Department (Dropbox)
7850 W. 183rd St.
(708) 532-9111 Open 24/7.
|
La Grange Police Department
304 W. Burlington Ave.
(708) 579-2334
Open 24/7.
|
Westchester Village Hall
10300 W. Roosevelt Rd. (708) 345-0020
7 days/week: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
|
La Grange Park Police Department (Dropbox)
447 N. Catherine Ave.
(708) 352-2151
Open 24/7.
|
Wheeling Village Hall
Police Department 1 Community Blvd. (847) 499-9045 Third Saturday of the month: 10
a.m. to noon.
|
Lemont Police Department
14600 127th St.
(630) 257-2229
Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
Wilmette Police Station (Dropbox) 710 Ridge Rd. (847) 256-1200 Open 24/7. Medications only, no needles.
|
Winnetka Fire Department
428 Green Bay Rd.
(847) 501-6029
Medications: Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sharps: Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
In 2016, Walgreens announced it would be collecting unwanted drugs at select Illinois sites. For more information, visit
here.
Tips for dropping off your medications:
Always call before dropping off medications. You may want to:
-
Confirm the days and hours of operation
-
Ask if the program accepts controlled and non-controlled substances
-
Ask if the program accepts sharps
-
If planning to drop off medications at a site in a municipality other
than where you live, ask if the program is available to non-residents
-
Ask if the program does NOT accept any kinds of medications (e.g.,
liquids, ointments, cancer treatment drugs, etc.)
-
Ask if there are any other requirements for dropping off medications
Additional tips for dropping off medications:
-
Unless otherwise specified, use original prescription containers and
use permanent marker to mark out your name and personal information.
-
Take medications to the collection site ONLY during the drop-off
site’s open hours of operation.
-
Please follow direction at the drop-off site carefully. Only give
medications to personnel at the drop-off site.
-
These are NOT share or reuse opportunities. All medications received
will be destroyed in an environmentally responsible manner.
Please notify the MWRD of any collection updates by emailing
public.affairs@mwrd.org.
To download the list of Cook County locations (pdf):
click here.
Updated 12.10.18 |