Prescription Drug Drop Boxes

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Healthy Carolinians LogoPrescription Drug Drop Boxes

Prescription drugs must be taken correctly, stored securely, disposed of properly, and never shared. Now you can safely and properly dispose of unwanted, unused, and/or expired medications!

Bring any unused or expired medications to the drop boxes so they are properly disposed of. 

  • While it may not seem like a big deal to have medications lying around in the home, it could easily lead down a tragic path of addiction or unintentional poisonings.
  • Take the simple step of disposing of medications!

DRUG DROP OFF web

Printable Flyer: English, Spanish

Drop Box Locations

No questions asked. Visit one of the following locations:

NamePhoneAddressSchedule
Hillsborough Police Department(919) 296-9500127 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
Orange County Sheriffs Office(919) 644-3050106 East Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
Carrboro Police Department(919) 918-7397100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro, NC 27510Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
Chapel Hill Police Department(919) 968-2743405 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Walgreens Store Number 16128(919) 732-6263200 Highway 70 East, Hillsborough, NC 27278Monday-Friday 8:00am to 10:00pm, Saturday 9:00am to 7:00pm, Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm
Hillsborough Pharmacy and Nutrition(919) 245-1212110 Boone Square Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278Monday-Friday 8:30am to 6:30pm, Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm
UNC Hillsborough Campus(919) 595-5900430 Waterstone Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
CVS Store Number 3898(919) 942-51251718 North Fordham Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Monday-Sunday 8:00am to 12:00am


Locate drug drop boxes in other cities and states. Save lives. Protect the environment. Dispose of unnecessary medications.

Drop Off Guidelines

Drug drop boxes are intended for liquid and pill medications that are expired, unused, or unwanted. Liquid medications must remain in original containers. PLEASE SEAL LIQUID MEDICATIONS IN A CLOSED ZIPLOC BAG. Pill medications may remain in original containers or be placed in a seal-able plastic bag. Do not drop loose pills.

Please remember to remove all identifiable information from containers or packages before disposal.

green check markDo Drop

  • Expired or unused medications
  • Liquid medications (sealed)
  • Medicated ointments and lotions
  • Medication samples
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • Pet medications

red cross markDo NOT Drop

  • Bloody or infectious waste
  • Empty containers
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • IV bags
  • Needles/Lancets/Syringes
  • Personal care products
  • Thermometers
  • Used Syringes


Teen Looking in Medicine CabinetsFacts About Prescription Medication

  • Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse.
  • Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold.
  • Unused drugs that are flushed can contaminate the water supply.
  • Prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a doctor's supervision.
  • The majority of teens abusing prescription drugs get them from home medicine cabinets.
  • The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America.

Request Promotional Materials

If you or your organization would like to obtain drug drop box promotional cards, please contact Ashley Rawlinson, Healthy Carolinians of Orange County Coordinator.


Safe Syringe Initiative ENGLISH web

Printable Flyer: English, Spanish

Safe Syringe Initiative

•  Clean syringes are available at both our Chapel Hill and Hillsborough locations. Ask for them at the front desk.
•  Used syringe disposal dropboxes are available at both locations. Disposal bins accept single use syringes, coffee tins, laundry bottles, etc.

Overdose Reversal

  • Free Naloxone (also called Narcan) kits and prescriptions are available at both our locations. Ask for them at the front desk. 
  • Naloxone can be effective in reversing an opioid overdose such as Rx painkillers (oxycodone, methadone) and heroin.