Don’t Flush or Pour Unwanted, Unused, or Expired Medications down the Drain
The Dutchess County Environmental Management Council, is proud to announce the establishment of a year-round household medication drop-off point in Dutchess County, at Molloy Pharmacy in Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie, and Tuminaro Pharmacy in Hopewell Junction, NY.
The program is an effort to protect NY’s waters, as improperly disposed pharmaceuticals enter our waterways from a variety of sources including flushing of unused medications. According to the NY Department of Environmental Conservation website, a nationwide study done in 1999 and 2000 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) found low levels of drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, contraceptives and steroids in 80% of the rivers and streams tested.
EMC’s Take-Back Program with Local Independent Pharmacies
The Dutchess EMC’s pharmaceutical take-back program is Free and Open to the public during each pharmacy’s regular business hours. Current participating pharmacies include:
- Medicap Pharmacy, 8 Church Street, Fishkill, NY tel: 897-0636
- Molloy Pharmacy, 4170 Albany Post Road Hyde Park, NY, tel: 845-229-8881
- Molloy Pharmacy, Saint Francis Medical Arts Pavilion Poughkeepsie NY, tel: 845-471-7455
- Tuminaro Pharmacy, 800 Rt. 82, Hopewell Junction, NY (map), tel: 845-223-7858
The program is available for residential consumers only for the take-back of non-controlled substances. For more information contact the pharmacies or email the EMC at dutchessemc@gmail.com.
- For an alphabetical list of controlled substances that the pharmacies cannot accept, please see the US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency website.
- For more information and tips on safe disposal options for unused household prescriptions, click on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC’s) website on this issue.
- For opportunities to dispose of narcotics see our Medications Disposal Events page
- Read the February 14, 2010 Poughkeepsie Journal EcoFocus Article, by Emma J. Rosi-Marshall (Cary Institute) “Our River on Drugs.”
The EMC welcomes participation from other pharmacies in Dutchess County in this program. Contact the EMC if you are interested in joining our efforts to get more pharmacy’s to take back unused medication.
Click here for further information on additional Medication Disposal Events that accept all medications (including narcotics) through Malloy Pharmacy and the DC Resource Recovery Agency.
