Safely Destroy Medications At Home

Posted on: August 4, 2022 - 9:59am
deterra

At-Home Drug Deactivation- A Solution to a Growing Epidemic

Prevention is more than dispensing less, it's about removing the abundant supply of prescription opioids from circulation to prevent abuse and misuse. 

  • 70% of opioids prescribed for surgical use remain unused and available for abuse
  • 1.9 billion opioid prescriptions were dispensed between 2012 - 2019
  • 254 Americans will die every day from opioid overdose
  • 80% of people addicted to heroin reported they first used a prescription opioid
  • Between December 2019 to December 2021, there was a 29% increase in opioid-related overdoses - the largest single-year percentage increase in the past two decades

You Can Help!

Destroy unused medications quickly and easily at home with Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal Pouches. Deterra pouches destroy unwanted or expired medications safely and permanently, making them unavailable for misuse, abuse and accidental ingestion.

In addition to preventing substance misuse, proper drug disposal benefits our environment. Improperly disposed of medications are ending up in landfills and surface water where these still-potent drugs can harm the environment and contaminate our water supply. Water treatment facilities struggle to filter out all pharmaceutical drugs from the water and as of 2014, there were over 1,500 published reports of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in sewage, surface waters, ground waters, and elsewhere.

Because of these findings, most federal, state and local authorities are now recommending (and many requiring) that pharmaceuticals NOT be disposed of in the toilet, sink, or trash. In addition, common (but ineffective) methods of medication disposal such as using cat litter, sawdust, or coffee grounds harm the environment while still maintaining the integrity of the active drugs. Medications are not completely destroyed when these temporary methods are used – abuse can still occur and once in the landfill, these drugs may potentially leach into the ground and into the water.

How to Use Deterra Drug Deactivation System

  1. Open pouch and place unused medications inside.
  2. Fill halfway with warm water and wait 30 seconds. Foaming may occur.
  3. Seal tightly, gently shake, and dispose of pouch in the normal trash.

For more information about how to use the Deterra Drug Deactivation System, view the Deterra System Frequently Asked Questions or watch the Deterra System How-To videos.

For resources to prevent substance use and support recovery, please visit DrugFreeCT.org or call 1-800-563-4086 for 24/7 help.

For more information about how to receive a pouch, please contact the East Hartford Health Department at 860-291-7324.