Ohio University promotes safe medication disposal through campus events

Ohio University is working to make medication disposal more accessible to students through campus events and disposal packets available in residence halls.

The program, supported through the OHIO's JED Campus initiative, aims to educate students about the importance of properly disposing of unused or expired medications rather than leaving them in storage, throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet.

Hali Burleson, senior project manager and planner for JED Campus and Well-Being, said the University is working to make medication disposal a more familiar and accessible resource for students.

“People aren't aware that there is a certain way to dispose of medications,” Burleson said. “When I talk to people, they often say they did not know it existed."

Medication disposal event on Nov. 4

The next medication disposal event is scheduled for Nov. 4, and will be held in front of Nelson Dining Hall. 

Students and community members will be able to bring medications to a designated collection table, where the medications will be placed in a disposal solution that deactivates their active ingredients.

OHIO collaborates with the Ohio University Police Department to help ensure medications are disposed of properly. The disposal solution binds the medications’ active ingredients, allowing the contents to be disposed of safely.

The events are typically held once during the fall and spring semesters. Organizers are also trying to make the collection table more visible by placing it in a high-traffic area where students can stop by between classes or while going to eat.

In addition to the campus events, medication disposal packets are available through Housing and Residence Life. Students can ask at their residence hall office for a packet, place eligible medications inside, and follow the provided instructions for disposal. Counseling and Psychological Services also has a medication disposal option available.

Proper disposal of medications

Proper disposal is important for several reasons, including preventing medications from being accessed by someone other than the person they were prescribed to and reducing pharmaceutical waste entering the environment.

Burleson said medication disposal initiatives initially gained attention in response to concerns about prescription opioids being left in medicine cabinets or other places where they could be accessed by others. The practice has since expanded as communities look for ways to manage unused medications safely.

Environmental concerns are another reason for the initiative. When medications are flushed or improperly discarded, pharmaceutical compounds can enter wastewater and groundwater. Wastewater systems are not designed to remove every pharmaceutical compound, Burleson said.

OHIO has also partnered with its forensic chemistry department to study medication disposal packets and their effectiveness. Students involved in the project tested the packets under different conditions to examine how well they contain medication ingredients and prevent them from entering the environment.

The collaboration is one example of how the University is incorporating education and research into its disposal efforts.

Through campus events, residence hall resources and educational outreach, Ohio University hopes to make safe medication disposal a routine practice rather than something students consider only when they have unused prescriptions.

Students can learn more about disposal options by contacting their residence hall office or visiting the campus medication disposal table on Nov. 4.