You ran an article (Oct. 17) on what to do with unused prescriptions. When my father passed away, we had a lot of unused prescriptions as well as supplies such as diapers and bandages. We called Medicine Project CURE, 10377 E. Geddes Ave., Centennial, 80112, phone: 303-792-0729. They take unused prescriptions and medical supplies for people in third-world countries who are unable to get and/or pay for medications.
— Cheryl Clinger
ANSWER: Thank you for the tip. Medicine Project CURE said they accept prescriptions that aren’t expired to send to developing countries. Their doctor examines all prescriptions that are donated. As you said, they also need medical supplies.
A number of readers wrote that if prescriptions are expired they can be crushed up, mixed with water and put into a bag of kitty litter before going into the trash. However, some environmentalists advise against it because it could get into the water system in the future.
In the first column we discussed never flushing drugs down the toilet or crushing them up and washing them down the drain because of environmental impact. Another option: El Paso County Solid Waste Management, elpasoco.com (search “waste”), 520-7878
The first question had come from a man who wondered why the coroner’s office picks up the prescriptions when they take away a person who died at home. The response was that the prescription medications couldn’t be left in the home because it’s illegal for a person to be in possession of another person’s meds. So, readers had asked, what do we do with them if the person didn’t die at home?








