Safe Disposal - Medication & Sharps

Medication Disposal

The City of Gloucester Medication Disposal Program is a community-wide collaboration of health professionals including physicians, pharmacists, law and drug enforcement officials and community leaders partnering together to encourage community members to: Clean out your medicine cabinets to keep youth safe and protect a clean water supply.

Where to Take Unwanted Medications

The Gloucester Police Department is sponsoring a continuous Prescription Drug Disposal Program seven days a week / 24 hours a day. Community disposal events are also held on a semi-regular basis. Please see the events calendar for upcoming opportunities.

All medications will be received by law enforcement and destroyed appropriately by the Gloucester Police Department in accordance with the Department of Drug Enforcement (DEA) guidelines.

Items Accepted

  • Prescription & Over-the-Counter Medications
     Medication Samples
  • Vitamins
  • Veterinary Medications
  • Narcotics
  • Liquid Medications

Items NOT Accepted

  • Syringes
  • Needles (please bring to Addison-Gilbert Hospital)
  • Thermometers
  • IV Bags
  • Bloody or Infectious Waste
  • Personal Care Products
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Empty Containers
  • Inhalers

Sharps Disposal

The City of Gloucester is fortunate to have THREE sites for the proper disposal of used sharps (needles, syringes, and lancets). The locations are:

  1. The main entryway of the Addison Gilbert Hospital located at 298 Washington Street, (978) 283-4000
  2. North Shore Health Project - One Stop Harm Reduction Program, 33 Commercial Street, (978) 283-0101 or (978) 515-0455
  3. Gloucester Police Station, 197 Main Street, (978) 283-1212

The kiosk has a one-way opening and can accommodate 1-lb coffee cans, 1 gallon bleach bottles, and other puncture proof containers that are sealed with tape. Loose needles cannot be placed in the kiosk. The information desk at the hospital will provide personal-sized sharps containers to residents who request them at no charge. Medications and other medical supplies cannot be placed in the kiosk.

If you find a needle on a public way, please call the Gloucester Police Department non-emergency line at (978) 283-1212. Provide the location of the needle(s) with as much detail as possible so that the responding officers can locate the waste.

More Information on Sharps Disposal.

For any questions, please contact the Health Department at (978) 325-5266.