Table of Contents
- Why You Can't Just Trash Them
- Permanent Drop Boxes in Texarkana
- Drop-Off Directory
- Texarkana Rules
- CVS Pharmacy Kiosks
- DEA Take Back Events
- Safe Home Disposal (Last Resort)
- Sharps and Needles: Different Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Tex's Take
- FAQ
Most people in Texarkana have a medicine cabinet that looks the same: a half-finished antibiotic from 2022, a bottle of painkillers from a surgery, a few OTC cold tablets past their date. Getting rid of them correctly takes about ten minutes. Getting it wrong — flushing them, tossing them loose in the trash, leaving them in a drawer — is where things go sideways.
This is the full guide to medication disposal in Texarkana, TX. Verified locations, what each accepts, what it doesn't, and what to do if you can't make it to a drop box. If you're elsewhere in Texas, our San Marcos medication disposal guide covers how a different city handles the same problem.
Why You Can't Just Trash Them
Texas has no state law that flatly bans household medication in the trash — but the practical case against it is strong. Loose pills in a garbage bag are accessible to kids, pets, and anyone going through the bin. Prescription labels with your name and medication on them go out with the can. And studies have shown that medications flushed or drained into the water system pass through treatment plants largely intact, showing up in waterways and eventually tap water.
The DEA's position is clear: the safest disposal method is a take-back program or a permanent collection kiosk. Texarkana has both, year-round, for free.
Permanent Drop Boxes in Texarkana
Two outdoor drop boxes operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the Texarkana area. Both are DEA-authorized collection points, under surveillance, and regularly emptied by law enforcement for proper destruction. No ID required. No questions asked. You can drop medications in their original containers — the DEA allows this.
The Texas-side box is at Texarkana Emergency Center on Cowhorn Creek Road. The shared-state box is at the Bi-State Justice Center downtown on State Line Avenue — which sits on the Texas-Arkansas border and serves both sides of the city.
Drop-Off Directory
| Location | Address | Hours | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texarkana Emergency Center Drop Box | 4646 Cowhorn Creek Rd, Texarkana, TX 75503 | 24/7 outdoor box | Free | Texas side; no sharps |
| Bi-State Justice Center Drop Box | 100 N. State Line Ave, Texarkana, TX 75501 | 24/7 outdoor box | Free | Serves TX and AR residents; no sharps |
| CVS Pharmacy — Richmond Rd | 1901 Richmond Rd, Texarkana, TX 75503 | During pharmacy hours — call ahead to confirm | Free | Kiosk in pharmacy waiting area; Rx and OTC accepted |
| CVS Pharmacy — Richmond Ranch Rd | 102 Richmond Ranch Rd, Texarkana, TX 75503 | During pharmacy hours — call ahead to confirm | Free | Kiosk in pharmacy waiting area; Rx and OTC accepted |
Data last verified June 2026 against local law enforcement announcements, CVS store locator, and Next Step Community Solutions East Texas Rx drop box directory. CVS kiosk availability can change — call before making a trip specifically for disposal.
Texarkana Rules
CVS Pharmacy Kiosks
Both CVS locations on the Texas side of Texarkana have safe medication disposal kiosks in their pharmacy waiting areas. These accept prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and liquid medications in sealed 4-oz containers. The process is simple: find the kiosk near the pharmacy counter and drop the medications in. No paperwork, no ID.
One caveat: CVS kiosks are only accessible during pharmacy hours, which can differ from the store's general hours. Exact hours weren't confirmed on the city's official pages as of June 2026 — call the location before you go if you're making a special trip.
The outdoor drop boxes at Texarkana Emergency Center and the Bi-State Justice Center are the better option if timing is a concern.
DEA Take Back Events
The DEA runs National Prescription Drug Take Back Day twice a year — typically in April and October. Texarkana participates both times. The April 25, 2026 event ran at both Texarkana Emergency Center and Bi-State Justice Center from 9 AM to 11 AM. No ID, no appointment, drive-up service.
These events accept everything the permanent boxes do, plus sometimes additional items depending on the event. The next event will likely be October 2026 — watch the Texarkana Police Department's announcements or check dea.gov/takebackday for confirmed dates and locations as October approaches.
That said, the permanent drop boxes are there year-round. You don't need to wait for an event.
Safe Home Disposal (Last Resort)
If a drop box isn't an option, the FDA and DEA allow household trash disposal for most medications using this method: mix the medication with something undesirable — used coffee grounds, cat litter, or dirt — seal the mixture in a zip-lock bag or container with a lid, and put it in the trash. Remove or scratch out your name and prescription details from the label first.
Do not crush tablets or open capsules before mixing. Do not put medications in the recycling bin. And do not flush — with one narrow exception: the FDA maintains a flush list of specific high-risk controlled substances (certain opioids, fentanyl patches, some benzodiazepines) that are approved for flushing precisely because the risk of someone finding them in the trash outweighs the water impact. If you're unsure whether your medication is on that list, check the FDA flush list directly.
Sharps and Needles: Different Rules
Needles, syringes, and lancets cannot go in the medication drop boxes. Not at Texarkana Emergency Center, not at Bi-State Justice Center, not at CVS. This is a firm rule at every DEA-authorized site.
For household-generated sharps, the TCEQ's guidance (GI-418) is: place used needles and syringes into a rigid, puncture-resistant container — a hard plastic jug with a screw cap works — seal it when full, label it "Sharps" or "Needles" on at least two sides, and put it in the household trash. Do not use bags, milk jugs, or coffee cans. Do not recap needles by hand.
A dedicated sharps drop-off location on the Texas side of Texarkana was not confirmed on any official city or county page as of June 2026. If you have significant sharps volume, call Bowie County health services or the Texarkana Emergency Center directly to ask about current options.
Common Mistakes
Putting sharps in the medication drop box. Every drop box in Texarkana refuses them. The slot isn't designed for a container, and loose needles are a hazard to the staff who empty it.
Flushing everything because it's easier. Only FDA flush-list medications are approved for flushing. Everything else goes in a drop box or the trash-with-mixing method.
Showing up to a CVS kiosk after pharmacy hours. The kiosk is inside the pharmacy area. If the pharmacy is closed, you can't get to it. The 24/7 outdoor boxes are your answer for off-hours disposal.
Leaving the prescription label intact. Whether you're using a drop box or the trash method, scratch out your name, date of birth, and prescription number from the label. The medication is anonymous at the drop box, but your label isn't.
Waiting for a Take Back event when permanent boxes exist. The DEA events in April and October are convenient, but Texarkana has 24/7 drop boxes that work every day of the year. No reason to sit on expired medications for months.
Tex's Take
Two outdoor drop boxes, two CVS kiosks, and a DEA event twice a year. Texarkana is well-covered for medication disposal. Most cities this size don't have a 24/7 outdoor option at all, let alone two.
The thing that trips people up is the sharps gap. The drop boxes won't take needles, and there's no clear Texas-side sharps collection site listed on any official city page. If you manage diabetes or have other injection-based medications, the TCEQ home method — rigid container, sealed, labeled, trash — is your current best option until Bowie County adds a dedicated program.
The outdoor box at Texarkana Emergency Center is the move. It's Texas-side, 24 hours, no trip coordination required.
FAQ
Can I drop medications at Texarkana Emergency Center even if I'm not a patient?
Yes. The outdoor drop box is available to any Texarkana-area resident regardless of whether you've ever been seen at that facility. It's a DEA-authorized community collection site.
Can I use the Bi-State Justice Center box if I live on the Texas side?
Yes. That box explicitly accepts medications from residents of both Texas and Arkansas. It doesn't matter which side of State Line Avenue your home address is on.
What medications can I drop off? Are controlled substances accepted?
DEA-authorized drop boxes accept both controlled and uncontrolled substances — prescriptions, OTC medications, medicated ointments and creams, and liquid medications in sealed containers. What they don't accept: needles and syringes, IV solutions, inhalers and aerosols, mercury-containing items, or radioactive medications.
Do I need to remove pills from the bottle before dropping them off?
No. The DEA allows you to drop medications in their original containers. If you want to protect your privacy, remove or obscure the prescription label before dropping it in. The disposal itself is anonymous regardless.
What happens to the medications after they're collected?
Law enforcement regularly empties both outdoor boxes and transports the contents to an approved destruction facility. The medications are incinerated — they don't go to landfill or wastewater.
Data last verified June 2026 against local law enforcement announcements, CVS store locator, Next Step Community Solutions East Texas Rx directory, and DEA take-back event coverage by kkyr.com and the Texarkana Gazette. Hours, fees, and accepted items can change without notice. Call ahead before making a trip.
Bottom Line
Texarkana makes medication disposal simple: two 24/7 outdoor boxes, two CVS kiosks, and a DEA event every six months. The gap is sharps — no confirmed Texas-side drop-off exists for household needles as of June 2026, so those follow the TCEQ home disposal method until that changes.
Before your next trash day, clear the medicine cabinet. The drop box at Texarkana Emergency Center is open right now.
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