There’s a right way and a wrong way to dispose of unwanted medication.

Medication that has expired or is no longer needed shouldn’t be thrown away. Rather, it should be taken to a pharmacy (that participates in the Medication Return Program) where it will be incinerated.

The province today announced a five-year renewal of the Medication Return Program, managed by the Health Products Stewardship Association. Sustainable development minister Rochelle Squires says there are currently 346 participating pharmacies in Manitoba.

“I would urge all Manitobans to actively participate in this program, and start disposing of your unused and expired medications in a way that’s better for our environment and better for our health,” says Squires.

Throwing excess medication into the garbage or flushing it down the toilet can have negatively impact the environment. Health minister Cameron Friesen says there can be important health implications as well.

“We know that expired medications will do no good, so if people try to take them they’re not having (the same) level of efficacy, we also know though that we want to (prevent) those medications from falling into the hands of small children who could consume them… and we also know that there is always that threat – and we are learning more about that threat – of unauthorized or unintended use by others, recreationally,” says Friesen.

Dr. Brenna Shearer, CEO of Pharmacists Manitoba, says regularly checking your home for medications you no longer need or that have expired is important to help prevent misuse, accidental ingestion, or damage to the environment. Similarly, Friesen challenged Manitobans to go through their medicine cabinets and look for medication that should be turned in to a pharmacy.

Shearer says all medication turned in to pharmacies for incineration is kept anonymous (Ginette Vanasse, CEO of HPSA, recommends removing or blacking out your name from any prescription drugs being brought in).