Flushing medications can cause contamination to Kansas aquatic environments.  Instead of flushing, Sedgwick Co. residents can take excess or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to the local household hazardous waste facility listed below:

Sedgwick County Hazardous Waste Facility

801 Stillwell, Wichita,Ks, 316-660-7464. 

Open Tuesday-Friday 9am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-3pm.

This facility CANNOT accept controlled or narcotic substances, such as prescription painkillers like Percocet, or others like Xanax.  If you cannot use this local household hazardous waste facility, then follow the Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment disposal recommendations listed below to prevent purposeful or accidental recovery of these medications.  Your local retail pharmacies support this water quality protection project.

Prepare excess medications as follows:

Crush or dissolve pills in water, coffee, or another liquid.  Make a paste of the dissolved pills or liquid medication by adding it to kitty litter or coffee grounds.  Put the paste in a closed container, making sure any personal markings are removed.  Then put the closed container in the trash.

This publication was published by the Kansas State University Pollution Prevention Institute.  For more information call 800-578-8898.