GSIA’s FNSB Recycling (and reuse) Guide

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Medication

Medical Equipment and Supplies
Recycle

Accepted at 7 locations

Medications are biological compounds used for the treatment of infections and diseases that require specialized disposal methods to protect public health and the environment.

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Material Details

Also known as: Prescription Medication, Medicines

Parent material: Medication

Accepted Locations

Denali Pharmacy logo
Denali Pharmacy
Recycle
ResidentialBusiness
Address: 1650 Cowles St, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm
See details ›

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Fairbanks Police Department
Recycle
ResidentialBusiness
Address: 911 Cushman Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: 24/7
See details ›

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Fred Meyer - East Fairbanks
Recycle
ResidentialBusiness
Address: 930 Old Steese Hwy, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sun 6:00 am - 11:00 pm
See details ›

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Fred Meyer - West Fairbanks
Recycle
ResidentialBusiness
Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sun 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
See details ›

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Safeway - Airport Way logo
Safeway - Airport Way
ResidentialFREEBusiness
Address: 30 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.
See details ›

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Safeway - Bentley Trust logo
Safeway - Bentley Trust
ResidentialFREEBusiness
Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.
See details ›

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Safeway - North Pole logo
Safeway - North Pole
ResidentialFREEBusiness
Address: 301 N Santa Claus Ln, North Pole, AK 99705 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.
See details ›

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

About Medication

What it is

A medicine may become unwanted for many reasons: it expired; it wasn't tolerated; it didn't work; the patient didn't need it anymore. Proper disposal is critical because it can help to prevent accidental poisoning, substance abuse, and contamination of water resources. Water treatment plants are generally not equipped to remove medicines, making responsible disposal essential.

How it’s recycled

Medications removed from take-back boxes are destroyed by an outside processor. Collected drugs are incinerated as recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prevent potential contamination of water sources. Medications are not recycled in the traditional sense but are safely destroyed through controlled incineration.

How to prepare it

Gather any unused or expired prescriptions and bring them in their original bottles or in a clear, sealed bag, and be sure to remove any labels on the bottles or use a permanent marker to black out personal health information. Liquid medications should be kept in their original bottle, and if the bottle is cracked or leaking, pour it into a sealed plastic container and label it. Don't crush pills when preparing for disposal.

Common mistakes

A prevalent common mistake is flushing unused or expired medications down the toilet, which can critically contaminate the water supply, seriously affecting aquatic life and eventually humans through water consumption. Another standard error is discarding medications in the trash casually, which potentially allows drugs to fall into the wrong hands, leading to accidental consumption by children, pets, or wildlife with grievous consequences.

Environmental impact

Pharmaceuticals entering the environment through flushing or other means negatively affect aquatic ecosystems, including fish and animal populations. Some pharmaceuticals in the environment increase the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, annually, at least two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths in the U.S. are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Pharmaceuticals can have a significant impact on the health of organisms and ecosystems, causing behavioral change, hormone disruption and toxicity.

Did you know?

A large US Environmental Protection Agency study examining wastewater treatment plants revealed at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient in every effluent sample tested.

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See all locations46
Address: 2128 Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 9am-3pm

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 975 Van Horn Road, Suite 6 Suite 6, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2925 Newby Rd, North Pole, AK 99705 Get directions ›

Eyeglass recycling and vision assistance

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 3027 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sat 8:00 AM-7:00 PM, Sun 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: Fairbanks, AK Get directions ›

Contact business for details about collection and dropoff options.

Last updated on May 31, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 401 E Van Horn Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

To secure a precise quote for your exact material (whether it is structural steel, pipe, sheet metal, or non-ferrous scrap), it is best to contact them directly.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 32 College Rd., Fairbanks, AK Get directions ›
Hours: Dropbox is available 24/7

Last updated on June 3, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2226 Old Steese Hwy N Y, Fairbanks, AK 99712 Get directions ›
Hours: Dropbox is available 24/7

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 805 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK Get directions ›
Hours: Dropbox is available 24/7

Last updated on June 3, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 301 N Santa Claus Ln, North Pole, AK Get directions ›
Hours: Dropbox is available 24/7

Drop box is located near the Northwest corner of the parking lot just West of the welcome center.

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 1910 Tanana Lp E, Fairbanks, AK 99775 Get directions ›
Hours: Dropbox is available 24/7

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 1650 Cowles St, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 911 Cushman Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: 24/7

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 723 27th Ave, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: 9am-5pm M-F

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 505 Old Steese Hwy, Ste 126, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Sun 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

FNSB Central Recycling Facility (CRF)

Recycling FacilityFNSB residents and businesses only
See location details ›
Address: 1855 Marika Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00am-5:30pm, Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm, Closed Sunday-Monday

The FNSB Central Recycling Facility (CRF) is a service for FNSB residents and businesses / organizations only. Unlike the landfill, there is no provision for "out of borough" collection. Residents and businesses…

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 455 Sanduri Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 12pm-4pm; closed New Year's, Thanksgiving, Christmas

The FNSB Sanitary Landfill also serves as the transfer sites for FNSB residents living inside the City of Fairbanks.

Last updated on June 16, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 889 Holmes Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 5749 Old Chatanika Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 13, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2395 Old Chena Ridge Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2535 Little Shot Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 301 Old Steese Highway N, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sun 6am-10pm

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2180 Farmers Loop Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 284 Goldstream Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 3485 Old Richardson Highway, North Pole, AK 99705 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2740 Old Richardson Highway, Fairbanks, AK 99707 Get directions ›

See FNSB documents for accepted items and fees

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 901 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›

The mission of BRIDGE is to assist young adults with developmental disabilities in gaining skills, knowledge and appropriate behaviors to become successful individuals, citizens and workers in the community.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 930 Old Steese Hwy, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sun 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sun 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2134 Texaco Ave Suite A, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Office: Mon-Thu 9am-2pm; Electronics Sales: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 1pm-5pm

Home of the Green Star electronics recycling warehouse and our Reuse IT discounted refurbished electronics store, Repair IT desktop and laptop repair, Rebuild IT computer building classes and Reboot IT technology grants.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 1301 Old Steese Hwy, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sat: 6:00am - 10:00pm; Sun: 7:00am - 8:00pm

Take compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to staff at self-checkout lane if service desk attendants do not know where they belong.

Last updated on June 9, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 1550 Spur Ct., North Pole, AK 99705 Get directions ›
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-5pm

Formerly Chena Power / K & K Recycling

Last updated on June 5, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 30 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 301 N Santa Claus Ln, North Pole, AK 99705 Get directions ›
Hours: Open 5AM - Midnight 7 days per week.

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM

Address: 2222 S Cushman St, Fairbanks, AK 99701 Get directions ›
Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10:00am - 5:30pm

Acceptable items: Clean Clothing Linens and towels Clothing accessories: belts, ties, scarves, hats Small appliances Clean shoes, boots, sandals, etc. Vehicles with titles Toys, games, puzzles Eye glasses Books, DVD'S, VHS's, Cassette…

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM


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