National Take Back Day (Saturday, April 28) – A national day to ask all Americans to safely dispose of unused medication. Many businesses, medical offices, and first responders are hosting take back events to safely dispose of unused medication. National Take Back Day happens twice a year; at the last National Take Back Day, Americans collected a record-breaking 900,000 pounds of prescription drugs, more than the weight of three Boeing 757’s!
Three simple ways to dispose of pills:
- Visit takebackday.dea.gov to find a safe collection site
- Drop off at any participating Walgreens or CVS locations
- Order a free safe disposal envelope at NSC.org/TakeBack
Never flush your medicine down the toilet/drain! Flushed medications can get into our lakes, rivers and streams. Research has shown that continuous exposure to low levels of medications has altered the behavior and physiology of fish and aquatic organisms.
What can and cannot be discarded in a drug collection box?
CAN:
- Over-the-counter medications
- Prescription medications
- Medication samples
- Medications for household pets
- Medicated lotions or ointments
CANNOT:
- Needles or other “sharps”
- Hazardous waste
- Thermometers
- Personal care products (shampoo, etc.)
What if I cannot make it to a Take Back Day event on Saturday?
Did you know that you can safely drop off prescription medication at participating local Police Departments? These drug collection boxes are secured in the lobby of the police department, and are accessible anytime the department is open. No questions asked, just drop the unwanted medications in and they will be safely and securely destroyed.
Visit the Naugatuck Valley Overdose Prevention & Education’s website to find out more information about local drug collection boxes in the Valley and how the Valley is being affected by the opioids epidemic.
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