Prescription Drug Disposal

Image of Someone Disposing of DrugsMedications steadily accumulate in the home, where the vast majority are improperly discarded or stored indefinitely. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away, posing safety and environmental hazards.

By allowing residents to anonymously dispose of unused and unwanted prescription medications throughout the year at permanent medication disposal sites, the Dutchess County Prescription Medication Drop Box Program proactively addresses drug abuse throughout the County.

The following drop-off locations are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week:

• Hyde Park Police Department, 3 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park

• Dutchess County Law Enforcement Center, 108 Parker Avenue, Poughkeepsie

• New York State Police, Troop K Headquarters, 2541 Route 44, Salt Point

• Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, 19 Tucker Drive, Poughkeepsie


Additional drop-off locations are accessible during the following days/hours:

• Village of Rhinebeck Police Department, 76 East Market Street, Rhinebeck

• Daily, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

• Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Pawling Substation, 9 Memorial Avenue, Pawling

• Residents can call (845) 486-3000 to make arrangements for drop-off

In 2020, a total of 3,355 pounds of medications were collected at the 11 countywide drop-off locations, Office for the Aging senior picnics and other public collection events, and destroyed. Since the Dutchess County Prescription Medication Drop Box Program was launched in 2013, more than 19,171 pounds of unwanted or unneeded medications have been safely collected and destroyed.