The Solution
Put Your Pills in the POD!
The best solution is to dispose of old and expired medications through Northern Michigan’s Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Dropoff (POD) Program.
The POD Program is a multicounty-wide medication drug-take back initiative to provide a convenient and environmentally sound way for residents to properly dispose of medications. Currently, the POD Program includes community collection events in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties. The POD Program also includes over 20 permanent collection drop boxes at law enforcement agencies throughout Northern Michigan. Residents may safely dispose of prescription, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, and personal care products for free.
By using the POD Program and properly disposing of unwanted medications, you will help us keep our rivers and drinking water clean and our communities and families safe.
How to use the POD Program
You can return accepted items to community collection events or permanent drop boxes. The POD Program is for residential use only; commercial or business facilities should contact the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Program for proper disposal methods.
POD Program accepts:
POD Program does NOT accept:
The best solution is to dispose of old and expired medications through Northern Michigan’s Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Dropoff (POD) Program.
The POD Program is a multicounty-wide medication drug-take back initiative to provide a convenient and environmentally sound way for residents to properly dispose of medications. Currently, the POD Program includes community collection events in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties. The POD Program also includes over 20 permanent collection drop boxes at law enforcement agencies throughout Northern Michigan. Residents may safely dispose of prescription, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, and personal care products for free.
By using the POD Program and properly disposing of unwanted medications, you will help us keep our rivers and drinking water clean and our communities and families safe.
How to use the POD Program
You can return accepted items to community collection events or permanent drop boxes. The POD Program is for residential use only; commercial or business facilities should contact the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Program for proper disposal methods.
POD Program accepts:
- prescription drugs
- controlled substances (drugs that have a high potential for misuse; examples are oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, Valium, and Ritalin)
- over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
- medication samples
- pet medicines
- nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs)
- medicated ointments and lotions
- liquid medications
- personal care products (health and beauty products such as bug spray and suntan lotion)
POD Program does NOT accept:
- needles, lancets, or pen needles (No sharps of any kind)
- aerosol cans
- bloody or infectious waste
- hydrogen peroxide
- thermometers
- IV bags
- trash
How to prepare medication for disposal
For POD Collection Events: Keep the medicines in the original container for easy identification of the medicine but erase or black out all personal information from the prescription bottles. Do not remove the name of the medication as this is needed to properly sort and dispose of medications.
For POD Drop Boxes: Place medications in any POD Box. Medicines do not need to be original container nor do you have to remove any personal information (you can cross out or remove information if you prefer). All collected materials are stored securely at law enforcement offices until final disposal via incineration. Be sure liquids are well-sealed or in a plastic bag to prevent spills; do not pour liquids directly into POD Box.
For POD Collection Events: Keep the medicines in the original container for easy identification of the medicine but erase or black out all personal information from the prescription bottles. Do not remove the name of the medication as this is needed to properly sort and dispose of medications.
For POD Drop Boxes: Place medications in any POD Box. Medicines do not need to be original container nor do you have to remove any personal information (you can cross out or remove information if you prefer). All collected materials are stored securely at law enforcement offices until final disposal via incineration. Be sure liquids are well-sealed or in a plastic bag to prevent spills; do not pour liquids directly into POD Box.
