Community
Naperville, IL Drug Disposal Oct. 13: Free Drop-Off Available
Naperville, IL – Residents with expired prescriptions or unused medications sitting in their medicine cabinets have a convenient way to dispose of them safely, as the Naperville Fire Department remind
By Lena Wood · 2026-10-13T14:11:49.802Z
Naperville, IL – Residents with expired prescriptions or unused medications sitting in their medicine cabinets have a convenient way to dispose of them safely, as the Naperville Fire Department reminds the community about its prescription drug drop box program.
According to the Naperville Fire Department, the city offers two disposal options for residents looking to get rid of unwanted prescription and over the counter medications without placing them in household trash or storing them indefinitely.
The department highlighted the program in a public reminder Tuesday, October 13, encouraging residents to use designated medication collection services.
The first option allows residents to place unused or expired medications inside a sealed, zip lock style bag and deposit them in a clearly labeled drug drop box outside a participating Naperville fire station.
The second option is a mail back program.
Residents can visit a local fire station to obtain a secure, prepaid, self addressed envelope designed for mailing unwanted medications to a disposal facility approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Both options are intended to provide a safer alternative to improper medication disposal.
However, the program does not accept every type of medical product.
According to fire officials, needles, syringes, inhalers, creams, ointments and lotions are not accepted through the collection program.
Residents should review these restrictions before bringing items to a fire station.
The program serves Naperville, which extends across DuPage and Will counties in Chicago's western suburbs.
Proper medication disposal can help reduce accidental exposure, discourage misuse and limit the environmental risks associated with improperly discarded pharmaceuticals.
The department did not announce a program expiration date or a special one day collection event. The October 13 announcement was a reminder about an existing city service.
Residents can find participating fire stations, program instructions and additional disposal information through the city's official website at naperville.il.us/rxdrugdropbox .