Waste Medicine Disposal
What we can accept
For safety’s sake, please only bring back medicines — here’s the honest list of what we can and can’t take.
| Your situation | Details | What we’ll do |
|---|---|---|
| Yes Medicines in any form | Tablets, capsules, powders, liquid medicines, creams and ointments | Hand them in at the counter — that’s it |
| Yes Inhalers & ampoules | Inhalers and medicine ampoules | Accepted for specialist disposal |
| No Sharps & clinical items | Needles or other sharps, dialysis kits, veterinary products | Contact Surrey Heath Borough Council for the right disposal route |
| No Anything that isn’t a medicine | Chemicals, paints, solvents, oil, batteries, pesticides and other garden chemicals | Your local council handles hazardous household waste |
Not sure about an item? Bring it in and ask — if we can’t take it, we’ll tell you exactly who can.
Why dispose of medicines properly?
Out-of-date and unwanted medicines don’t belong in the bin or down the toilet. Flushed medicines reach waterways and affect wildlife; binned ones sit in landfill and can be found by children, pets or anyone going through rubbish. Pharmacies exist as the safe route: we collect returned medicines and send them for compliant destruction.
A good habit is an annual medicine-cabinet clear-out: check the dates on everything, gather anything expired or no longer needed — including old courses you never finished — and bring the lot to the counter. If you’d like to remove labels with personal information first, that’s fine by us.
We can accept medicines in any form: tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, creams, ointments, inhalers and ampoules. What we can’t take is anything that isn’t a medicine — sharps, chemicals, veterinary products, dialysis kits, paints, solvents, oils, batteries or pesticides. For those, Surrey Heath Borough Council can point you to the proper disposal route.
How it works
No appointment, no forms, no cost.
| Stage | Details | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Gather | Clear out anything expired or no longer needed from the medicine cabinet | Include unfinished courses and forgotten repeat items |
| 2 · Bring them in | Hand your medicines to any member of the team at the counter | Remove personal labels first if you prefer |
| 3 · We do the rest | Medicines are stored securely and sent for safe, compliant destruction | Free, whatever the quantity |
This is a free community service — there’s no charge, whatever you bring back, and no questions asked.
Service costs
The simplest price list on our site.
| Service | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine disposal | Free | Any quantity of unwanted or out-of-date medicines, in any form |
For non-medicine items (sharps, chemicals, batteries and so on), Surrey Heath Borough Council provides household hazardous-waste routes.
How it works
Clear out the cabinet
Check dates on everything — gather what’s expired or unneeded.
Drop them at the counter
Monday to Saturday, no appointment needed.
Safe disposal, done
We handle secure, compliant destruction at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I just bin or flush old medicines?
Flushed medicines end up in waterways and harm wildlife; binned medicines sit in landfill and can be found by children or pets. Pharmacy return is the safe, legal route — and it’s free.
Do you take needles or sharps?
No — needles, sharps and dialysis kits need a clinical-waste route. Surrey Heath Borough Council can arrange the right collection.
Can you take veterinary medicines?
No — please return animal medicines to a veterinary practice, or ask the council about disposal routes.
Should I take medicines out of their boxes?
No need — bring them as they are. If you’d like to remove labels showing personal information first, that’s completely fine.
Does it cost anything?
Nothing at all, whatever the quantity.
What happens to the medicines you collect?
They’re stored securely at the pharmacy and sent for compliant destruction — nothing is reused or resold.
Rated by 1,200+ patients of our Camberley pharmacy and clinics.
GPhC registered pharmacy 1105418 · Superintendent pharmacist Jirina Thielens (GPhC 2069634).
This guide follows UK national health guidance (NHS) and was last reviewed in August 2026. Recommendations can change — your consultation always reflects the latest advice.
Time for a medicine-cabinet clear-out?
Bring your unwanted medicines to VSM Pharmacy, 124 Frimley Road, Camberley — free, Monday to Saturday.
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