What should you do when your medications expire, or you no longer need them? The best thing to do is to take them to a community drug takeback program for safe and proper disposal. 
Unused or unwanted medication should not be flushed down the toilet, poured down the sink, or even thrown into household garbage. These methods create the potential for pharmaceutical drugs or harmful chemicals to end up in our lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater, and even in our drinking water

Safe disposal of unwanted and expired medication can also prevent:

Accidental drug poisoning
Medications are the leading cause of accidental poisonings among children in the United States. Small children and even curious pets may find medicine and put it in their mouths.

Theft
Prescription pain medications--especially prescription pain and ADHD medications—are targets for theft. Keep tabs on the medicines you have and keep them in a secure place. Safely dispose of medicines you don’t need to have in the house.
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Abuse/Misuse
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States. Misusing and abusing prescription drugs can lead to addiction and can be especially harmful to the developing bodies and brains of adolescents.

DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is another safe and convenient way for communities to dispose of unused or expired medications. Wilmington usually participates in this event by hosting a collection in April and October. Check the WCHC calendar (link to calendar page) to learn more about an upcoming event.

For information about safe disposal of needles and sharps, consult your pharmacist. You can also learn more at SafeNeedleDisposal.org.