Proper Disposal of Unused Medications

Drug Take Back Day is October 28, 2023

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office partners with local police departments and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the "Take-Back" initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft.

Loudoun County residents will be able to discard potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at several sites in the county on the next Take Back Day, Saturday, October 28, 2023, at several sites in the county, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day image of pills
  • Loudoun County Sheriff's Ashburn Station: 20272 Savin Hill Drive, Ashburn.
  • Dulles South Public Safety Center: 25216 Loudoun County Parkway, South Riding. 
  • Loudoun County Sheriff's Eastern Loudoun Station: 46620 East Frederick Drive, Sterling. 
  • Loudoun County Sheriff's Western Loudoun Station: 47 W. Loudoun Street, Round Hill. 
  • Town of Leesburg Police Department, 65 Plaza Street NE, Leesburg, 10:00 am. - 2:00 p.m.
  • Town of Purcellville Police Department: 125 Hirst Road, Suite 7A, Purcellville, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Since the inception of the DEA take-back program in 2010, over 18,000 pounds of unwanted and unused prescription medications have been collected in Loudoun County.

Additional Information

More information from the DEA about the program is online.

Note: Medical "sharps," such as needles and syringes, are not accepted at Take Back events. Information from the Food and Drug Administration on how to safely dispose of used needles and other sharps is online.

Dispose of Unused or Expired Medications 

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has drug collection units available at several locations throughout the county, providing residents with a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medication, including controlled substances. 

In addition, the Leesburg Police Department has a drug collection unit available for at the Leesburg Police Department Headquarters, 65 Plaza Street, northeast in Leesburg.  

The units are intended to reduce the amount of unneeded medicine in residents’ homes and decrease prescription drug abuse, which has soared in recent years, especially among teenagers. More than 70% of teenagers say it is easy to get prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets, according to a Partnership for Drug-Free Kids study.

Drugs can be dropped off with no questions asked. View or print an Medication Disposal Drop Box Flier (PDF) about the medication disposal drop box.

Download or Print a Flyer

Link to flier about medication drop boxes in Loudoun

Drug Collection Unit Locations

  • Ashburn Station
    20272 Savin Hill Drive, Ashburn
    Phone: 571-258-3000
  • Dulles South Public Safety Center
    25216 Loudoun County Parkway, Chantilly
    Phone: 571-258-3200
  • Eastern Loudoun Station
    46620 East Frederick Drive, Sterling
    Phone 571-258-3356
  • Leesburg Public Safety Center
    65 Plaza Street NE, Leesburg
  • Shenandoah Building
    102 Heritage Way NE, Leesburg
  • Western Loudoun Sheriff Station
    47 W Loudoun Street, Round Hill
    Phone: 571-258-3750

Other Options to Safely Dispose of Unwanted & Unused Medication

National studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away - both potential safety and health hazards.

  1. Safely dispose of medications in your trash.
    1. FDA Guidelines
    2. Dispose of medication at the Loudoun County Landfill (for residents only)
  2. Use authorized collector or mail-back program.