DON’T FLUSH MEDS

by

Tips to Get Rid of Meds, Keep Columbia Clean

February 12, 2021

Don’t Flush Meds

Tips to Get Rid of Meds, Keep Columbia Clean

By Lorri Epstein, Water Quality Director

A growing body of science shows pharmaceuticals are reaching the Columbia River. How? Pharmaceuticals enter the Columbia through human excretion, when people flush drugs down the toilet, and from livestock operations. Unfortunately many pharmaceuticals pass through wastewater treatment plants and wind up in the Columbia.

Don’t flush your meds! Find a drug take-back location in your community. Live in Washington state? Residents can request a free prepaid envelope, put the unused medication in the envelope and mail the package as if it were a regular package.

Washington State
  • Click here to find a dropbox in your community.
Oregon
  • Click here to find a dropbox in your community.
Cheat Sheet 

Skim the list below to find a selection of drop-box locations in your community. We recommend you double-check these locations still accept unused pharmaceuticals before making the trip.

  • Astoria:
    • Astoria Police Department: 555 30th St.
    • Columbia Memorial Hospital: 2111 Exchange St.
  • St. Helens:
    • St.Helens Police Department: 150 S.13th St.
  • Longview:
    • Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office: 312 SW 1st Ave. Ste. 233
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 364 Triangle Shopping Center
  • Kelso:
    • Kelso Police Dept.: 201 S Pacific Ave.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 230 Kelso Dr.
  • The Dalles:
    • The Dalles Police Department: 401 Court St.
    • Mid-Columbia Medical Center: 1800 E 9th St.
  • Hood River:
    • Hood River Sheriff’s Department: 309 State St.
    • Providence Health and Services: 810 12th St.
  • White Salmon:
    • Hi-School Pharmacy: 291 E Jewett Blvd.
    • Skyline Hospital Pharmacy: 211 Skyline Dr.
  • Stevenson:
    • Skamania County Sheriff’s Office: 200 Vancouver Ave.
    • Wind River Pharmacy: 280 SW 2nd St.
  • Kennewick:
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1901 N Steptoe St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 101 N Ely St.
    • Tri-Cities Community Health: 721 S Auburn St.
  • Pasco:
    • Tri-Cities Community Health: 515 W Court St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1308 N 20th Ave.
  • Richland:
    • West Richland Police Department: 3805 Van Giesen St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1549 George Washington Way
    • Tri-Cities Community Health Pharmacy: 915 Goethals Dr.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1329 Lee Blvd.
  • Vancouver:
    • Kaiser Permanente Orchards Pharmacy: 7101 NE 137th Ave.
    • Kaiser Permanente Salmon Creek Pharmacy: 14406 NE 20th Ave.
    • Kaiser Permanente Cascade Park Pharmacy: 12607 SE Mill Plain Blvd.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 2800 NE 162nd Ave.
    • Hi-School Pharmacy: 3200 NE 52nd St.
    • QFC Pharmacy: 3505 SE 192nd Ave.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 13511 SE 3rd Way
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 2100 NE 139th St.
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 1905 SE 164th Ave.
    • Apothecary at Salmon Creek: 2121 NE 139th St. Ste 310
    • Sea Mar Community Health Center: 19005 SE 34th St.
  • Portland (*this list is not comprehensive; check the resources above for a location near you)
    • Apothecary at Good Samaritan: 1040 NW 22nd Ave.
    • CVS Pharmacy: 939 SW Morrison St.
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 940 SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd.
    • Credena Health Pharmacy: 5050 NE Hoyt St. Ste. 142
    • Emanuel Hospital and Health Center Pharmacy: 2801 N Gantenbein Ave.

No Tires Medicamentos

Consejos para Deshacerse de Medicamentos, Mantener Limpio el Columbia

Un creciente grupo de ciencia ha mostrado que los productos farmacéuticos están llegando al Río Columbia. ¿Cómo? Los productos farmacéuticos entran al Columbia a través de la secreción humana, cuando la gente descarga drogas por el inodoro, y de las operaciones de ganadería. 

Desafortunadamente muchos productos farmacéuticos pasan a través de las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales y terminan en el Columbia.

¡No tires tus medicamentos por el inodoro! Encuentra una ubicación de devolución de medicamentos en tu comunidad. ¿Vives en el estado de Washington? Los residentes pueden solicitar un sobre gratuito y prepagado.  Coloca el medicamento sin utilizar en el sobre y manda el paquete por correo cómo si fuera un paquete regular.

Estado de Washington 
  • Haz click aquí para encontrar un buzón en tu comunidad.
Oregon
  • Haz click aquí para encontrar un buzón en tu comunidad.
Hoja de Referencia 

Revisa la lista a continuación para encontrar una selección de ubicaciones de buzones en tu comunidad. Recomendamos corroborar si estas ubicaciones aún aceptan productos farmacéuticos sin utilizar antes de acudir a las mismas.

  • Astoria:
    • Astoria Police Department: 555 30th St.
    • Columbia Memorial Hospital: 2111 Exchange St.
  • St. Helens:
    • St.Helens Police Department: 150 S.13th St.
  • Longview:
    • Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office: 312 SW 1st Ave. Ste. 233
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 364 Triangle Shopping Center
  • Kelso:
    • Kelso Police Dept.: 201 S Pacific Ave.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 230 Kelso Dr.
  • The Dalles:
    • The Dalles Police Department: 401 Court St.
    • Mid-Columbia Medical Center: 1800 E 9th St.
  • Hood River:
    • Hood River Sheriff’s Department: 309 State St.
    • Providence Health and Services: 810 12th St.
  • White Salmon:
    • Hi-School Pharmacy: 291 E Jewett Blvd.
    • Skyline Hospital Pharmacy: 211 Skyline Dr.
  • Stevenson:
    • Skamania County Sheriff’s Office: 200 Vancouver Ave.
    • Wind River Pharmacy: 280 SW 2nd St.
  • Kennewick:
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1901 N Steptoe St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 101 N Ely St.
    • Tri-Cities Community Health: 721 S Auburn St.
  • Pasco:
    • Tri-Cities Community Health: 515 W Court St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1308 N 20th Ave.
  • Richland:
    • West Richland Police Department: 3805 Van Giesen St.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1549 George Washington Way
    • Tri-Cities Community Health Pharmacy: 915 Goethals Dr.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 1329 Lee Blvd.
  • Vancouver:
    • Kaiser Permanente Orchards Pharmacy: 7101 NE 137th Ave.
    • Kaiser Permanente Salmon Creek Pharmacy: 14406 NE 20th Ave.
    • Kaiser Permanente Cascade Park Pharmacy: 12607 SE Mill Plain Blvd.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 2800 NE 162nd Ave.
    • Hi-School Pharmacy: 3200 NE 52nd St.
    • QFC Pharmacy: 3505 SE 192nd Ave.
    • Rite Aid Pharmacy: 13511 SE 3rd Way
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 2100 NE 139th St.
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 1905 SE 164th Ave.
    • Apothecary at Salmon Creek: 2121 NE 139th St. Ste 310
    • Sea Mar Community Health Center: 19005 SE 34th St.
  • Portland (*this list is not comprehensive; check the resources above for a location near you)
    • Apothecary at Good Samaritan: 1040 NW 22nd Ave.
    • CVS Pharmacy: 939 SW Morrison St.
    • Walgreens Pharmacy: 940 SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd.
    • Credena Health Pharmacy: 5050 NE Hoyt St. Ste. 142
    • Emanuel Hospital and Health Center Pharmacy: 2801 N Gantenbein Ave.

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement RB 01J73501 to Columbia Riverkeeper. The contents of this website subpage do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.