Medication Disposal in Milwaukee: Drug Take Back Day & Year-Round Drop Box Locations

Every day, unused and expired medications pose serious risks to families. When prescription drugs remain in medicine cabinets, they can fall into the wrong hands, leading to misuse, addiction, or accidental poisoning. When flushed down toilets or thrown in the trash, these medications contaminate our water supply and harm the environment.

The good news? Safe medication disposal is easier than ever through Drug Take Back Day events and year-round permanent drop boxes located throughout Milwaukee County and surrounding areas.

What is Drug Take Back Day?

Drug Take Back Day is a national initiative that provides communities with safe, convenient opportunities to dispose of unused and expired medications. These no-questions-asked collection events take just minutes and help keep dangerous pharmaceutical substances out of medicine cabinets, away from children and pets, and out of our water supply.

The next Drug Take Back Day is expected to be held in April 2026.

Collection site information for the April 2026 event will be available by March 15, 2026.

Why Proper Medication Disposal Matters

Protecting Your Home: Stored medications can be misused by family members, friends, or visitors who have no legitimate medical need for them. Prescription drug abuse often starts in the home with medications taken from relatives' medicine cabinets.

Safeguarding Our Water: Water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all medications that enter our water supply. As a result, trace amounts of pharmaceuticals are being detected in rivers and lakes around the world, affecting aquatic life and potentially impacting human health.

Community Safety: According to recent data from the Shorewood Police Department and other North Shore agencies, Drug Take Back Day events successfully remove dangerous pharmaceutical substances from circulation, preventing them from being diverted for illegal use.

How to Participate in Drug Take Back Day

Participating couldn't be simpler:

1. Gather your unused, unwanted, or expired medications

2. Keep liquids in their original containers

3. Remove batteries from vape pens or e-cigarette devices

4. Visit any collection site during the event hours

5. Drop items into the collection bin - no questions asked

6. You're done in minutes!

What You Can Bring to Drug Take Back Events

Accepted Items:

• Pills and capsules (prescription and over-the-counter)

• Creams and ointments

• Patches

• Inhalers

• Non-aerosol sprays

• Vials

• Liquids in original containers

• Pet medications

• Vape pens (batteries removed)

• E-cigarette devices (batteries removed)

Items NOT Accepted:

• Aerosol cans

• Anything containing blood or bodily fluids

• Household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas)

• Illegal drugs

• Iodine-containing medications

• Mercury thermometers

• Personal care products (shampoo, soap, lotion, sunscreen)

• Sharps or syringes

• Vape pens/e-cigarettes with built-in batteries that cannot be removed

Can't Wait Until April? Year-Round Permanent Drop Boxes

Between Drug Take Back Day events, you can safely dispose of medications at any time using permanent drug drop boxes located throughout Milwaukee County and the North Shore area.

How to Use a Permanent Drug Drop Box:

Before your visit:

• Check medication packaging for specific disposal instructions

• Remove all personal information from packaging, or use a dark marker to cover it up

At the drop box:

• Insert your medications into the slot

• Open the slot again to verify items went through and the slot isn't blocked

Complete List of Permanent Drop Box Locations

Milwaukee County North Shore Communities

Bayside

• Bayside Police Department: 9075 N Regent Rd, Bayside, WI 53217

Fox Point

• Fox Point Police Department: 7300 N. Santa Monica Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53217

Glendale

• Glendale Police Department: 5909 N. Milwaukee River Parkway, Glendale, WI 53209

River Hills

• River Hills Police Department: 7650 N. Pheasant Lane, River Hills, WI 53217

Shorewood

• North Shore Pharmacy: 1421 E Capitol Dr, Shorewood, WI 53211

• Shorewood Police Department: 4057 N. Wilson Drive, Shorewood, WI 53211

Whitefish Bay

• Whitefish Bay Police Department: 5300 N. Marlborough Drive, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217

Milwaukee County - City of Milwaukee

Milwaukee Police Departments

• District 2: 245 W. Lincoln Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207

• District 3: 2333 N. 49th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53210

• District 4: 6929 S. Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53218

• District 5: 2920 N. 4th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212

• District 6: 3006 S. 27th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53215

• District 7: 3626 W. Fond du Lac Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53216

Campus Police

• Marquette University Police Department: 749 N. 16th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233

• UW-Milwaukee Police Department: 2025 E Newport Ave, Suite 1457, Milwaukee, WI 53211

Other Milwaukee Locations

• Milwaukee Municipal Court: 951 N. James Lovell Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233

• Clement J Zablocki VA Medical Center: 5000 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53295

Milwaukee County - Pharmacies

Aurora Pharmacy Locations

• 2801 W Kinnickinnic River Pkwy, Milwaukee, WI 53215

• 3355 W Forest Home Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215

• 1575 N River Center Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53212

• 2900 W Oklahoma Ave, Franklin, WI 53215

• 1220 Dewey Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53213

• 2000 E Layton Ave, St Francis, WI 53235

• 2414 10th Ave, South Milwaukee, WI 53172

• 6901 W Edgerton Ave, Greenfield, WI 53220

• 5900 S Lake Dr, Cudahy, WI 53110

• 6609 W Greenfield Ave, West Allis, WI 53214

• 2906 S 20th St, Milwaukee, WI 53215

• 945 N 12th St, Milwaukee, WI 53233

• 2424 S 90th St, West Allis, WI 53227

Hayat Pharmacy Locations

• 3727 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208

• 1919 W. North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53205

• 8500 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53222

• 5434 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53216

• 5928 W. Vliet St, Milwaukee, WI 53208

• 5312 W Villard Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218

• 4931 S. 27th St., Greenfield, WI 53221

• 5308 W. Burleigh St., Milwaukee, WI 53210

• 8434 W Silver Spring Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53225

Other Pharmacy Locations

• CVS - Milwaukee: 7550 W Perkins Place, Milwaukee, WI 53216

• Walgreens Locations:

  • 3701 S. Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207

  • 4296 S. 76th Street, Greenfield, WI 53220

  • 6442 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53223

  • 7600 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53222

  • 3522 West Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208

Milwaukee County - Suburban Communities

Brown Deer

• Brown Deer Police Department: 4800 W. Green Brook Drive, Brown Deer, WI 53223

Cudahy

• Cudahy Police Department: 5050 S. Lake Drive, Cudahy, WI 53110

Franklin

• Franklin Police Department: 9455 W. Loomis Road, Franklin, WI 53132

Greendale

• Greendale Police Department: 5911 W. Grange Avenue, Greendale, WI 53129

Greenfield

• Greenfield Police Department: 5300 W Layton Ave, Greenfield, WI 53220

• Meijer - Greenfield: 5800 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield, WI 53223

Hales Corners

• Hales Corners Police Department: 5635 S. New Berlin Road, Hales Corners, WI 53130

Oak Creek

• Oak Creek Police Department: 301 W. Ryan Road, Oak Creek, WI 53154

• Meijer - Oak Creek: 171 W. Town Square Way, Oak Creek, WI 53154

South Milwaukee

• South Milwaukee Police Department: 2424 15th Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI 53172

St. Francis

• St. Francis Police Department: 3400 E. Howard Avenue, Building A, St. Francis, WI 53235

Wauwatosa

• Wauwatosa Police Department: 1700 N. 116th Street, Wauwatosa, WI 53226

• Meijer - Wauwatosa: 11111 W. Burleigh Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53222

West Allis

• West Allis Police Department: 11301 W. Lincoln Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227

West Milwaukee

• West Milwaukee Police Department: 4755 W. Beloit Road, West Milwaukee, WI 53214

Ozaukee County (North Shore Area)

Cedarburg

• Cedarburg Police Department: W75 N444 Wauwatosa Road, Cedarburg, WI 53012

Grafton

• Aurora Pharmacy: 975 Port Washington Rd, Grafton, WI 53024

• Grafton Police Department: 1981 Washington Street, Grafton, WI 53024

• Meijer - Grafton: 1600 N. Port Washington Road, Grafton, WI 53024

Mequon

• Mequon Police Department: 11300 N. Buntrock Avenue, Mequon, WI 53092

Port Washington

• Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office: 1201 S. Spring Street, Port Washington, WI 53074

• Port Washington Police Department: 365 N. Wisconsin Street, Port Washington, WI 53074

Saukville

• Saukville Police Department: 649 E. Green Bay Avenue, Saukville, WI 53080

Thiensville

• Thiensville Police Department: 250 Elm Street, Thiensville, WI 53092

Washington County

Germantown

• Germantown Police Department: N112W16877 Mequon Road, Germantown, WI 53022

Hartford

• Hartford Police Department: 109 N. Main Street, Hartford, WI 53027

Jackson

• Jackson Police Department: N168W20733 Main Street, Jackson, WI 53037

Kewaskum

• Kewaskum Police Department: 204 First Street, Kewaskum, WI 53040

Slinger

• Aurora Pharmacy: 1061 E Commerce Blvd, Slinger, WI 53086

• Slinger Police Department: 300 Slinger Road, Slinger, WI 53086

West Bend

• Meijer - West Bend: 2180 S. Main Street, West Bend, WI 53095

• Walgreens - West Bend: 1921 S. Main Street, West Bend, WI 53095

• Washington County Sheriff's Office: 500 Rolfs Avenue, West Bend, WI 53090

• West Bend Police Department: 350 Vine Street, West Bend, WI 53095

Waukesha County

Big Bend

• Big Bend Police Department: W230 S9185 Nevins St, Big Bend, WI 53103

Brookfield

• Brookfield Town Police Department: 655 N. Janacek Road, Brookfield, WI 53045

• iPack Pharmacy: 17000 W North Ave STE 108W, Brookfield, WI 53005

• Walgreens - Brookfield: 15650 W. Greenfield Ave, Brookfield, WI 53005

Butler

• Butler Police Department: 12621 W Hampton Ave, Butler, WI 53007

Delafield

• Delafield City Police Department: 115 Main Street, Delafield, WI 53018

Hartland

• Hartland Police Department: 210 Cottonwood Avenue, Hartland, WI 53029

Lannon

• Lannon Police Department: 20399 W Main St, Lannon, WI 53046

Menomonee Falls

• Aurora Pharmacy: N84 W16889 Menomonee Ave, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

• Menomonee Falls Police Department: W156N8480 Pilgrim Rd, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

• Walgreens - Menomonee Falls: N83W15701 Appleton Avenue, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

Mukwonago

• Mukwonago Village Police Department: 627 South Rochester Street, Mukwonago, WI 53149

Muskego

• Muskego City Police Department: W183S8150 Racine Avenue, Muskego, WI 53150

Oconomowoc

• Aurora Pharmacy: 36500 Aurora Dr, Oconomowoc, WI 53066

• Oconomowoc City Police Department: 630 E Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc, WI 53066

• Walgreens - Oconomowoc: 1021 Summit Avenue, Oconomowoc, WI 53066

Pewaukee

• Meijer - Pewaukee: N51 W24953 Lisbon Road, Pewaukee, WI 53072

• Pewaukee City Police Department: W240 N3065 Pewaukee Road, Pewaukee, WI 53072

• Pewaukee Village Police Department: 235 Hickory Street, Pewaukee, WI 53072

Summit

• Summit Police Department: 37100 Delafield Road, Summit, WI 53066

Sussex

• Sussex Public Safety: N63 W24355 Main Street, Sussex, WI 53089

Waukesha

• Meijer - Waukesha: 801 E. Sunset Drive, Waukesha, WI 53189

• Walgreens - Waukesha: 221 E. Sunset Drive, Waukesha, WI 53189

• Waukesha County Sheriff's Office: 515 W. Moreland Boulevard, Waukesha, WI 53188

• Waukesha Police Department: 1901 Delafield Street, Waukesha, WI 53188

Important Reminders for Permanent Drop Box Use

Before disposing of medications at a permanent drop box:

1. Check the packaging: Some medications have specific disposal instructions. If no special instructions are listed, the drop box is appropriate.

2. Protect your privacy: Remove or black out all personal information from medication packaging before disposal.

3. Verify the drop: After inserting items, check that the slot is clear and your items went through completely.

4. Police department hours: If visiting a police department location, note that hours typically vary. Many North Shore police departments accept drop-offs during regular business hours, generally 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays. Call ahead to confirm hours, especially on holidays and weekends.

Additional Resources

For comprehensive information about Drug Take Back Day, permanent drop boxes, and safe medication disposal throughout Wisconsin, visit:

Wisconsin Department of Health Services https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/opioids/drug-take-back-day.htm

This resource provides:

• Updated Drug Take Back Day event information

• Promotional materials for community organizations

• Educational resources about opioid safety

• Statewide permanent drop box locations

Take Action Today

Don't wait for the next Drug Take Back Day. Protect your family and community by disposing of unused and expired medications at a permanent drop box location near you today. With over 100 convenient locations throughout Milwaukee County and the North Shore area, safe medication disposal has never been easier.

Remember: A few minutes at a drop box today can prevent years of problems tomorrow. Clear out your medicine cabinet, protect your loved ones, and help keep our Wisconsin waterways clean.

Note: Hours of operation may vary by location. For police department drop boxes, call ahead to confirm availability, especially on holidays and weekends. Most police departments accept drop-offs during regular business hours (typically 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday).

Collection site information for the April 2026 Drug Take Back Day will be available by March 15, 2026.