Disposal of Expired Inhalers

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

My clinic has inhalers from 2 and 3 years ago locked in the cabinet. I'm not sure why the nurse didn't send them home with the student's at the end of the year then but I guess that's irrelevant now (maybe parents/kids didn't show up last day of school).. anyhow.. I put them all on the top shelf with the intentions of trying to find a proper way to dispose of them but I'm really have a difficult time finding anything out there.

I know that there are mail-in containers for sharps and other medical waste, or for medications (I'll just use the coffee grind/ziplock method those).. but I can't find anything on what to do with these inhalers! Any ideas??

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Check with a local pharmacy or hospital. They have bulk disposal and may let you give them the expired to dispose of.

[1mrsbs]

Our police officers with the school district come & take all of our old meds.

[OldDude]

Since trash from our community is not incinerated, it's ok to throw inhalers in with the regular trash...down here at the bottom of the US. Of course we don't recycle glass.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Since trash from our community is not incinerated, it's ok to throw inhalers in with the regular trash...down here at the bottom of the US. Of course we don't recycle glass.

Really? You're in south Texas, right? I can just throw them away? :)

[OldDude]

Really? You're in south Texas, right? I can just throw them away? :)

Yes...they don't even have CFCs as the propellant any more so you won't eat up the ozone when the pressure finally leaks out.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Our police officers with the school district come & take all of our old meds.

I use the local drop for meds at my local police station. I do this with all expired or unclaimed medication at the end of the school year. (With thorough documentation, of course!)