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Fall Clean-up Day: <br /> Saturday, October 3. <br />Watch for details. <br />Many of us have medicines that have <br />expired or that we stop taking before <br />we use them all up. Getting unused and <br />unwanted medicines out of your house is <br />important to prevent poisoning or abuse, <br />and properly disposing of medicines is <br />vital for protecting the environment. Flush- <br />ing medicines down the drain can pollute <br />lakes and rivers, harm wildlife and end up <br />in drinking water supplies. Here are some <br />tips for safely disposing of medicines. <br /> <br />Do’s and don’ts for medication disposal <br /> <br />• Do use it up! Use all antibiotics as <br />prescribed by your doctor. Not taking <br />all doses of an antibiotic can lead to <br />development of antibiotic resistant <br />strains of bacteria. <br /> <br />• Don’t buy more than you can use <br />by the expiration date. Think twice <br />before buying the bottle of 500 aspirin <br />just because it’s cheaper. <br />• Do keep medication in its original <br />container. The labels may contain <br />safety information and the caps are <br />typically childproof. <br /> <br />• Don’t put needles or medical sharps in <br />the trash. Syringes, lancets, and other <br />medical sharps should be managed <br />separately. Find safety tips at https:// <br />www.rethinkrecycling.com/residents/ <br />materials-name/needles-syringes <br /> <br />• Do bring unwanted medications to a <br />collection site. Like many police and <br />sheriff’s departments, the Ramsey <br />County Sheriff’s Office at 1411 Paul <br />Kirkwold Drive has dropboxes for <br />unwanted medications. Learn about <br />drop-off sites in other areas at https:// <br />www.rethinkrecycling.com/residents/ <br />materials-name/medicine-prescription- <br />drugs. Programs typically accept <br />prescription, over-the-counter, and pet <br />medicines. Most pharmacies will also <br />dispose of old medications. <br /> <br />Can’t make it to a collection site? <br />The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency <br />has these suggestions for minimizing risks <br />when disposing of medications in the trash. <br />1. Modify the contents to discourage <br />consumption. <br />• Solid medications: add vinegar to <br />pills or capsules to partially dis- <br />solve them. <br />• Liquid medications: add enough <br />table salt or nontoxic powdered <br />spice, such as mustard to make a <br />smelly, unappealing mixture. <br />2. Seal and conceal. Tape the container <br />shut with packing or duct tape and <br />put it in a non-transparent container <br />such as an empty yogurt or margarine <br />tub. <br />3. Discard the container in your gar- <br />bage can—not the curbside recycling <br />bin. <br />Questions? Call 24/7 651-633-3279 <br />RamseyRrecycles.com. <br />Guidelines for disposing of medications <br />5 <br />from RamseyRecycles.com <br />Bark & Rec Day memories <br />Pooches and their people both had time to relax and hang out dur- <br />ing Bark & Rec day at Hazelnut Park in late July. <br />photos courtesy Sara Grant, <br />Parks and Recreation Coordinator