Home Medical Waste

Prescription & Over the Counter Medications

• Do not flush or put prescription medicine down the drain.
• By law, once a prescription has been issued, the pharmacy cannot take it back.
• Unused pharmaceuticals found in the trash may be stolen for unregulated use.
• Antibiotics kill beneficial microbes in septic and wastewater treatment systems. Other medications, even at very low concentrations, may have serious detrimental effects on fish, other aquatic life, and drinking water.
• Liquid Medications can be poured into a container of inedible material like cat litter, coffee grounds or dirt and thrown away in your regular trash.

The Norwell Police Department located at 300A Washington Street has a kiosk for unwanted pill form medications inside the lobby, open 24/7, no questions asked.

Medical Sharps (Needles, Syringes, and Lancelets)

• Do not put medical sharps in trash or recycling. (M.G.L. chapter 111, section 127A)
• Needles and lancets may infect people or animals who come in contact with trash or recycling. It is illegal to dispose with trash and to mix with recycling.
• The Town of Norwell offers free sharps disposal for residents at the Norwell Fire Dept. Headquarters located at 300 Washington St.
• We accept any FDA approved sharps container which can be purchased online or at your local pharmacy.

If you cannot obtain a FDA approved sharps container, you can use an empty household container with the following features:

• Tight-fitting lid that cannot be punctured
• Made of heavy-duty plastic
• Does not leak
• A common use acceptable household container is an empty and rinsed out Laundry Detergent bottle
• Unacceptable container examples are: Milk containers/jugs, soda, juice, and water bottles,and all glass containers

Before dropping off a household container at the Fire Station:

• Secure the lid and tape shut
• Clearly label the container as "Sharps Biohazard"