What Patients and Caregivers Should Know About Disposing of Cancer Drugs Taken at Home
In 2026, there are expected to be approximately 2.1 million new cancer cases and 626,140 cancer-related deaths in the United States. While many cancer treatments are given in a hospital or clinic, some are increasingly given at home. This includes oral treatments—such as capsules, tablets, and liquids—as well as topical medications applied to the skin. In some cases, IV or injectable therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or may also be given at home.
During the COVID19 pandemic, home care services expanded to ease staffing shortages in healthcare facilities. This shift accelerated the growth of the home care industry, which is projected to grow nearly 13% annually and reach more than $640 billion by 2034. Today, hospitals in 39 states are approved to offer Hospital at Home (H@H) programs.
While at-home care offers many benefits, it also brings risks related to the management and disposal of medications and healthcare materials. Some cancer treatments involve dangerous chemicals that are classified as hazardous drugs. The American Cancer Society recommends checking with your cancer care team to find out if your treatment at home poses any risks to human health or the environment. Special care might be needed when handling and disposing of the drug, depending on its type.
The Risks of Improper Medication Disposal in Home Care
At-home care warrants diligent patient education about how to handle and dispose of medications, since many individuals are unsure about what to do with unused medicine. Incorrect storage or disposal of medicines and medical supplies may raise the risk of diversion, leading to unauthorized use.
According to WM’s 2023 Healthcare Workplace Safety Trend Report (HWSTR), only 39% of healthcare professionals surveyed expressed confidence that most patients are safely managing their medical or pharmaceutical waste generated through self-care at home.
Pharmaceutical household waste from expired or unused medicine also contributes to environmental pollution when disposed of via improper routes. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warns that medicines poured down sinks or flushed down toilets enter sewage systems and, if not adequately removed, can contaminate aquatic environments. Disposing of unused or expired medicines with regular household trash can likewise introduce pharmaceutical residues into the environment when this waste is disposed of improperly.
How to Dispose of Expired & Unused Medications
When it’s time to discard unused, expired, or unwanted medications, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages individuals to use pharmaceutical take-back programs, which typically accept both prescription and over-the-counter medications. These programs include Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) take-back days, kiosks, and mail-back envelopes. Kiosks, which provide year-round household pharmaceutical collection, are available at various locations, such as local law enforcement agencies and retail or hospital pharmacies.
How WM Solutions Can Help with Cancer Drug Disposal at Home
Beyond Drug Take Back Day, WM works closely with hospitals, retail pharmacies, and other organizations to enable the anonymous collection of unused drugs all year. Here are some ways we help take part in the disposal of unused post-consumer medications:
MedDropTM Medication Collection Kiosks: These kiosks, available at DEA-registered hospitals and retail pharmacies, promote responsible drug collection. WM ensures the incineration of collected materials, safeguarding against environmental contamination.
Seal&SendTM Consumer Medication Mail Envelopes: For those who cannot access a drug take back location, WM offers our Seal&Send™ consumer medication mail envelopes. These prepaid envelopes allow patients to send up to eight ounces of unused medication to WM via USPS for incineration. Unlike drug collection kiosks, which can only be hosted by certain DEA registrants, any individual or organization can purchase Seal&SendTM envelopes and provide them to patients, employees, students, and others.
We are committed to helping keep communities safe. Visit our Safe Community Solutions page for more information about WM’s post-consumer pharmaceutical waste disposal solutions as well as our other medical waste services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Drug Take Back Day?
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an initiative led by the DEA in the United States. It occurs in April and October of each year to help address the drug overdose epidemic and promote community safety and health. The DEA encourages the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse.
Locate all medications in your household and ensure that they are securely stored. All lids should be tightly secured on bottles and away from the reach of children and pets.
Conduct an inventory of medications and identify which are unwanted and/or have expired dates.
Clearly label medications that need disposal.
Take the medications to a Drug Take Back Day collection site between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
