A total of 3,743 pounds of unused medication and syringes were safely disposed of at a multi-site drug take-back event Saturday. More than 875 Southwest Washington residents participated in the event.
The medication disposal event was held at six locations and was organized by a committee of local youth substance misuse prevention coalitions, law enforcement agencies, medical clinics, community business partners and volunteers.
Medicine take-back events and disposal programs are a safe and environmentally protective way to dispose of medicine. Prescription and over-the-counter medicine should never be flushed or thrown in the trash, because it pollutes the environment and waterways, puts kids and pets at risk for accidental poisonings and increases accessibility and potential for misuse.
The drug take-back event is held twice a year in Southwest Washington. All discarded medications are secured in boxes and transported for incineration by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
