Safely dispose of unused medicines at Hennepin County’s medicines drop boxes.

Drop box locations and hours

The green medicine drop boxes are located in the lobby at each location. 

Hennepin County Sheriff’s Patrol Headquarters

9401 83rd Avenue North, Brooklyn Park 55445
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Hennepin County Public Safety Facility

401 4th Avenue South, Minneapolis 55415
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
You are required to go through a metal detector at this location.
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Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Patrol

4141 Shoreline Drive, Spring Park 55384
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Map

Guidelines

  • Free. 
  • ID is not required.
  • Bring medicines in their original containers.
  • The box is self-serve: Pull the handle to open it and then drop the medicines into the box. Drop the whole container - packaging and pills - into the box.

Accepted

Medicines from households are accepted, including:

  • Prescription medicines, including controlled substances
  • Over-the-counter medicines
  • Vitamins and supplements
  • Pet medicines

Medicines are accepted in the following forms:

  • Aerosols
  • Blister packs
  • Capsules
  • Creams
  • Gels
  • Inhalers
  • Liquids
  • Patches
  • Pills
  • Powders

Not accepted

Additional disposal options - HealthPartners Pharmacies medicine take-back program

HealthPartners accepts medicines for disposal at their pharmacies in Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis (Riverside) and St. Louis Park. Learn more about HealthPartners Pharmacies medicine take-back program.

Please note that these pharmacies cannot accept controlled substances for disposal. Controlled substances include Codeine, OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin. See the DEA's list of controlled substances for more information. Controlled substances should be brought to Hennepin County Sheriff's Office drop boxes for disposal.

Properly disposing of unused medicines is important

Prevent abuse or poisoning

Storing unused medicines in the home poses safety and health threats.

  • Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem, especially among teens.
  • Accidental poisonings from medicines are also on the rise.

Protect the environment

Medicines flushed down the drain or disposed of in the trash can contaminate bodies of water, harm wildlife and end up in drinking water supplies.

Prescription drugs that are most often abused

If unused or unwanted, these are important drugs to remove from your home.

  • Painkillers: Vicodin, Tylenol with codeine, OxyContin, Percocet
  • Depressants: Xanax, Valium, Nembutal
  • Stimulants: Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta

Why are the drop boxes located at Sheriff facilities?

About 10 percent of the pharmaceuticals dispensed in the U.S. are controlled substances. Controlled substances include anabolic steroids, narcotics, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens that have a potential for abuse and physical and psychological dependence.  

The U.S. Controlled Substances Act established a closed system of distribution designed to prevent the diversion of controlled substances. Although patients can possess controlled substances, they cannot lawfully transfer a controlled substance to another person or entity for any purpose. For example, patients cannot return controlled substances to pharmacies, even though pharmacies dispense them.

As an interim measure, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has allowed law enforcement agencies, such as the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, to operate medicine disposal programs. The law enforcement agency must retain custody of controlled substances at all times, up to and including destruction.

After collecting the medicines, Sheriff’s deputies will transport the medicines to an incinerator, where they will be destroyed.

Drop box locations

Sheriff's Patrol Headquarters, Brooklyn Park


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Public Safety Facility, Downtown Minneapolis


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Sheriff's Water Patrol, Spring Park


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