Prescription Drug Drop Boxes

Orange County has drug drop boxes that you can use to get rid of old or unused medicines.  

Use this table to see what you can and cannot put in a medication drop box. This helps keep people, pets, and the environment safe.

What can and cannot go in a medication drop box
Items you can put in the drop boxItems you cannot put in the drop box
  • Pills in bottles or packages (no loose pills)
  • Liquid medicines in closed bottles
  • Ointments and lotions with medicine in them
  • Sample medicines from your doctor
  • Medicines you buy without a prescription (over-the-counter medicines)
  • Pet medicines
  • Items with blood or body fluids
  • Empty bottles or boxes
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • IV bags
  • Needles, lancets, or syringes
  • Personal care products, like shampoo or deodorant
  • Thermometers
  • Used syringes

 

These steps help you clean out your medicine cabinet and use Orange County prescription drop boxes safely.

1. Get the medicines ready.

  • Put liquid medicines in a sealed plastic bag.
  • Keep pills in the original container or a sealed plastic bag.
  • Remove or cover labels with your personal information.

2. Take them to a drop box location.

Medication drop box locations in Orange County
NamePhoneAddressSchedule
Hillsborough Police Department(919) 296-9500127 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office(919) 644-3050106 East Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Carrboro Family Pharmacy(919) 933-7629104 NC-54, Suite J, Carrboro, NC 27510Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
Carrboro Police Department(919) 918-7397100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro, NC 27510Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Chapel Hill Police Department(919) 968-2760828 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Walgreens Store #16128(919) 732-6263200 Highway 70 East, Hillsborough, NC 27278Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Hillsborough Pharmacy and Nutrition(919) 245-1212110 Boone Square Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
UNC Hillsborough Campus (Patient Pharmacy)(984) 215-2060430 Waterstone Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
CVS Store #3898(919) 942-51251718 North Fordham Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514Mon–Sun 8 a.m.–12 a.m.
Tarheel Town Pharmacy(919) 240-7827370 E Main St #160, Carrboro, NC 27510Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Note: Hours may change on holidays or during special events. You may want to call ahead to confirm the schedule before you go.

Why does Orange County have prescription drop boxes?

  • Unused or expired prescription medicines can cause accidental poisoning, overdose, or drug abuse.
  • Medicines thrown in the trash can be found and taken, misused, or sold illegally.
  • Drugs flushed down the toilet can pollute lakes, rivers, and drinking water.
  • Taking prescription drugs without a doctor’s guidance can be as dangerous as using illegal drugs.
  • Many teens who misuse prescription drugs get them from family medicine cabinets.
  • Prescription drug misuse is one of the most common types of drug abuse in the United States.

Contact

If you would like free fliers about prescription drop boxes or other health topics, email Healthy Carolinian Coordinator McKayla Creed, MPH, MBA, at mcreed@orangecountync.gov.

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