Safe Medication Disposal

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The medicine cabinet is one of the most overlooked sources of risk in any home — leftover prescriptions are where a lot of misuse quietly starts, and where a lot of accidental poisonings come from. Clearing it out is one of the simplest prevention moves there is. This page covers where to take unused medications, what to bring, and how to store things safely until disposal day.

Find a Drop Box

Get a Free Disposal Kit

Talk to Hope Council

What disposal actually prevents

Accidental poisoning

Kids and pets find what adults forget. Medications stored “just in case” are exactly what poison control calls are made of.

Misuse that starts at home

A large share of prescription misuse starts with someone else’s leftover medication — a relative’s, a friend’s, a medicine cabinet at a party. Empty cabinets can’t supply it.

The environment

Flushed and trashed medications end up in water systems. Drop boxes and deactivation kits keep them out.

Local disposal options

Kenosha County Public Safety Building

1000 55th St., Kenosha

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (excluding holidays)

Pleasant Prairie Police Department

10111 39th Ave., Pleasant Prairie

Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays)

Somers Fire and Rescue Department

7511 12th St. (Highway E), Somers

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays)

Twin Lakes Police Department

920 Lance Dr., Twin Lakes

24/7

University of Wisconsin–Parkside Police Department

900 Wood Road, Tallent Hall (Lot T), Somers

24/7

Walgreens Pharmacy

3805 80th St., Kenosha

24/7

CVS Pharmacy Disposal Kiosk

3710 57th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53144

During pharmacy hours

Free disposal kits — no trip required

Hope Council’s free safe disposal kits deactivate medications at home — available 24/7 at the Public Health Vending Machine and at the front desk during business hours.

Public Health Vending Machine

Drug Take Back Days

National Drug Take Back events run periodically, with extra local collection sites.

Find out more

Things to know first

Preparation (per Kenosha County guidance):

Black out personal information or remove labels, and place medications in a sealed bag before using a drop box. Kenosha County’s drop boxes accept prescription and over-the-counter medications, ointments and creams, pet medications, sprays, liquids, and inhalers — but acceptance varies by site, so confirm when in doubt.

Bring

When accepted by the site

Unused or expired prescription medications.
Over-the-counter medications.
Pet medications.
Vitamins and supplements.

Confirm first

Many sites don’t accept these

Needles, syringes, and sharps (see Syringe Service Providers for sharps options).
Liquids, inhalers, and aerosols.
Illegal substances.
Biohazard materials.

Tip: Scratch out personal information on labels, keep medications in their containers if instructed, and call ahead when in doubt — accepted items vary by location.

Safe storage in the meantime

Up, away, and out of sight — ideally locked. The kitchen counter and the nightstand are where curious kids and visiting guests find things. If opioids are in the house, this is doubly true — and worth pairing with naloxone on hand. Hope Council can provide locking bags and lock boxes to safely store prescription medications (no cost). Contact our office for more information.

Contact Hope Council

Youth and Teens

Overdose Prevention

Common Questions

Can I just flush old medications?dooley2026-07-10T16:30:58-05:00

Local Directories