http://www.sfenvironment.org/ecofinder/profile.php?ID=1289&Subcategory=Medicines&Category=Medicines&Search=Basic

We buy mail-back envelopes for waste drugs and mail them back to SF residents who can fill them up and mail them to Texas for disposal.

This is from the RSF website:

Expired Medications–New Interest In An Old Problem
In the last few years, many newspapers and television stations have reported about the disposal of expired medications. For decades the public was advised to either flush medications down the toilet or put them in the trash. Until recently, scientists have determined that when medications are disposed of in the trash or down the drain, the residual medications find their way into our waterways, and have a negative impact on fish and other aquatic life, including having caused deformities in the sexual development of frogs and fish. Therefore, sewer and trash disposal are no longer recommended.

Proper Disposal
San Francisco currently has no pharmacies that accept expired or unwanted medication from residents.

Government agencies are hoping to set up “take back” programs at pharmacies so that you can return medications to where you purchased them. Unfortunately establishing these programs is not easy. In addition to concerns about space, there is concern that some medications, namely controlled substances such as barbiturates, opiates and anti-depressants, will tempt some people to steal and/or sell them illegally.

SF Mail-In Program – The City of San Francisco is currently piloting a mail-in program for San Francisco residents only. These pre-paid envelopes can hold both liquid and solid medicine and can be picked up at the following locations:

Department of the Environment
11 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 355-3700

Recology San Francisco
501 Tunnel Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134
(415) 330-1400

Contact the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility at (415) 330-1300 for more information.

If you would like to be involved with setting up a take back program at a San Francisco pharmacy, please call the San Francisco Department of the Environment at (415) 355-3700.

Member Service Representative said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have that information. The pharmacy does not accept medications.”

Person answering advice line said, “Just put them down the drain or flush them.”

The volunteer in the lobby said, “That’s a very good question. They don’t recommend you flush them anymore.”

Another member services representative said to put them in a plastic bag and tie a tight not before throwing them out.

So Recology Staff, help me out. Other than “RAMP”, what do you recommend?