Unused medicines

Also called: medicine, tablets, pills, prescription, painkillers, cough syrup

Drop-off point

National rules. Choose your council to see its answer.

Your council's answer

The answer can differ by council. Choose your council to see its rules for this item.

How to prepare it

  1. Take unused or out-of-date medicines to any pharmacy
  2. Never flush them or put them in bins
  3. Keep them in their packaging

National rules

The answer isn't the same in every UK nation. Choose your council to see the one that applies to you.

England, Scotland and Wales

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Return unused medicines and inhalers to any pharmacy; ask your pharmacy or council about sharps bins.

Northern Ireland

Drop-off point

Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point.

Return unused medicines to any community pharmacy; never bin them or flush them away.

Northern Ireland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source

How to recycle it

National schemes anyone in the UK can use.

National scheme

Pharmacy medicines return

Free · Return in store

Every NHS community pharmacy must take back unwanted or out-of-date medicines from households free, but not needles or sharps.

  1. Keep medicines in their original packaging if you can
  2. Hand them to the pharmacy counter at any NHS pharmacy
  3. Needles and sharps are not accepted: ask your council for a sharps collection

Source: cpe.org.uk, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Get the app

Snap a photo instead of typing, and get a reminder the evening before bin day.

Get it on Google PlayiPhone: coming soon

In our guides

Recycle This isn't run by or endorsed by any council or the government. Councils change their services, so check anything important with your council.