Drug Take-Back Kiosks
Unused or expired medications can pose a risk to children, family members, and the environment. They can also be misused, leading to serious complications, overdose, and even death.
There are MedReturn Drug Collection Kiosks at all District Stations of the Boston Police Department. You can dispose of your medications safely, confidentially, and for free.
The kiosks are open to all residents, 24 hours a day, seven days a week — no questions asked. This is a safe, effective, and sustainable way to dispose of prescription substances.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Public Health Commission
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1010 Massachusetts Avenue
6th FloorBoston, MA 02118
What we collect
- prescription medications
- over-the-counter medications
- pet medications
- sample medications
- pills, capsules, inhalers, ointment, and patches
- vitamins, and
- liquids in glass or leak-proof containers.
- needles and sharps
- thermometers
- bloody or infectious waste, and
- aerosol cans.
Kiosk locations
| Police station | Address | Phone number |
|---|---|---|
| A1 Downtown | 40 New Sudbury St., Boston, MA 02114 | 617-343-4240 |
| A7 East Boston | 69 Paris St., East Boston, MA 02128 | 617-343-4220 |
| A15 Charlestown | 20 Vine St., Charlestown, MA 02129 | 617-343-4888 |
| B2 Roxbury | 2400 Washington St., Roxbury, MA 02119 | 617-343-4270 |
| B3 Mattapan | 1165 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester, MA 02124 | 617-343-4700 |
| C6 South Boston | 101 West Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127 | 617-343-4730 |
| C11 Dorchester | 40 Gibson St., Dorchester, MA 02122 | 617-343-4330 |
| D4 Back Bay | 650 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02116 | 617-343-4250 |
| D14 Brighton | 301 Washington St., Brighton, MA 02135 | 617-343-4260 |
| E5 West Roxbury | 1708 Centre St., West Roxbury, MA 02132 | 617-343-4560 |
| E13 Jamaica Plain | 3345 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 | 617-343-5630 |
| E18 Hyde Park | 1249 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park, MA 02136 | 617-343-5600 |
Before you dispose of medication
Before you dispose of medicationRemove any ID information
Scratch out all identifying information on the prescription label to make it unreadable. This will help protect your identity and the privacy of your personal health information.
Drug instructions on label
If the drug label or patient information on the medication has specific instructions for disposal, please follow those. Don’t flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless this information tells you to.
Don’t give away your medications
Do not give medications to friends. Doctors prescribe drugs based on a person's specific symptoms and medical history. A drug that works for you could be very dangerous for someone else.
Pharmacy Take-Back Kiosks
The pharmacies CVS and Walgreens offer take-back kiosks at select locations, free and open to the public. Please check the respective sites for details about take-back policies.
Check out this website to find where these pharmacy take-back kiosks are located.
What else can you do?
- Keep prescription medicine in a secure place.
- Count and monitor the number of pills you have.
- Lock up your medicine.
- Share information with family, friends, and neighbors.
- Talk to youth about the risks of underage drinking and abusing prescription drugs. Children who learn about the risks from their parents are up to 50 percent less likely to use than those who don't get that critical message at home.
- If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-855-494-4057. Addiction is a treatable disease. There are many paths to recovery. Let us help you choose yours.
- Nasal Narcan is the antidote to opioid overdose. To request a nasal Narcan training, call 617-834-1784.
More information
More information-
Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Public Health Commission
-
1010 Massachusetts Avenue
6th FloorBoston, MA 02118
