Pills that may not be what they seem
Tablets bought outside a pharmacy can be counterfeits made to look like legitimate prescription opioids, and DEA warns they often contain fentanyl. There is no reliable way to tell by looking. For that reason we treat any unidentified pill, crushed tablet or powder as potentially containing fentanyl.
DEA describes fentanyl as roughly 100 times more potent than morphine, which is reason enough not to handle loose pills or powder yourself. At the same time, brief incidental skin contact with residue is considered by medical toxicologists to be exceedingly unlikely to cause intoxication.
What people typically find
- Loose or broken tablets in drawers, pockets, car consoles or under furniture
- Crushed powder on mirrors, plates, phone screens or tabletops
- Foil with burn marks, straws and cut pens used for smoking
- Pill bottles with someone else's name, or no label at all
- Small baggies with a residue of powder
How we remove pills and residue
- Conversation first We ask what you found, where, and whether anyone was harmed or law enforcement was involved.
- Collect and seal Pills, powder, foil and paraphernalia are picked up with tools or gloved hands, sealed in containers and bagged for appropriate disposal.
- Wet methods for powder Loose powder is lifted with damp wipes or HEPA-filtered vacuums so it does not become airborne.
- Wash surfaces Tables, counters, drawers, nightstands and floors in the affected area are washed with detergent solutions.
- Soft goods Bedding, cushions or carpet with visible powder are cleaned with extraction or removed, with your agreement.
- Review We walk through what was collected and cleaned so you know exactly what was done.
Prescription medications are a different matter
If you are clearing out a loved one's legitimate, labeled prescriptions after a death or move, you probably do not need us. Many pharmacies and law enforcement agencies offer drug take-back options for unused medication.
Call us when there is loose powder, crushed or unidentified pills, foil, or signs of smoking or snorting, or when the quantity or the setting makes you uncomfortable handling it.
Situations we handle often
Families clearing the home of a relative who died of an overdose frequently find pills hidden in several places: dresser drawers, shoe boxes, coat pockets, the glove box. We search the rooms you point us to and gather what we find so you do not have to keep coming across it.
Landlords call after a tenant leaves pills and foil behind. Employers call when tablets or powder turn up in an office, restroom or locker area, and hotels and university housing staff call about rooms and dorms. Used-car buyers and dealers call when pills surface under seats or in consoles. Each situation gets the same careful collection and cleaning.
If you find pills right now
Leave them where they are and keep children and pets away. Do not crush, flush or vacuum them. If someone appears to be overdosing, call 911. Wash any skin that touched powder with soap and water, not hand sanitizer, as NIOSH recommends. If you believe the pills should be reported, contact local law enforcement before we clean.
Testing and limits
We do not identify substances. There is no federal or Tennessee clearance standard for fentanyl residue, so if you need documentation, an independent industrial hygienist and an accredited lab are the right resources. Field kits can point to where residue is, but they cannot clear a room.
For a broader look at fentanyl contamination, see fentanyl cleanup. If pills were found alongside needles or pipes, our drug paraphernalia removal service may also apply. We work across Nashville and all of Middle Tennessee.