Independent Living residents with superfluous or expired medications are welcome to bring those medications to the our Clinic (at any time during operating hours) for disposal. The Clinic has a tabletop product called a Cactus Sink which allows safe and environmentally-conscious disposal of both solid and liquid medications. Because disposal in the Cactus Sink renders medications non-retrievable, we utilize it when discarding any controlled or otherwise hazardous medications as well as any liquid oral or topical preparations. All other oral medications (owing to high volume as well as the cost of Cactus Sink supplies) are batched and delivered monthly to the local police department where a drop box is located for the collection and ultimate incineration of unnecessary medications. Residents are apprised of this service and the process at least annually via publication in the weekly resident newsletter.

The primary lessons that we’ve learned:
 The Cactus Sink, while a valuable tool, has a meager capacity and replacement bins (which are needed frequently) are costly. I suggest reserving it for controlled substances. That being said, I think it is prudent to have an appropriate, on-site option for the immediate disposal of controlled substances should a facility choose to offer medication take-back services.
 Expect tremendous volumes of medication to be surrendered, even without much marketing of the service. Just last week I filled an entire Cactus Sink solid container (controls) and 3 gallon-sized ziplock bags (non-controlled) with medications from just one resident!