National Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, Oct. 24
OxyContin 80 mg pills are shot in the studio on August 1, 2013. (Photo by Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
FOX 2 - If you have unused or expired prescription drugs, on Saturday, Oct. 24, they can be dropped off at any law enforcement department.
Anyone cleaning out their medicine cabinets can turn their prescription drugs in, for safe disposal.
What You Can Bring
- Prescription pills, capsules, and patches
- Over-the-counter medications and vitamins
- Pet medications
- Sealed liquid medications
- Vape pens and cartridges, if the lithium batteries are removed
No liquids, needles or sharps, like EpiPens, and lancets, are allowed.
Other Items Not Allowed
- Illegal substances like cocaine or marijuana
- Medical waste like chemotherapy drugs
- Hazardous materials like thermometers containing mercury
Why Turn Them In?:
Trace amounts of prescription pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medication has been found contaminating drinking water around the country.
An Associated Press investigation found that at least 24 major US cities were impacted in recent years, as well as an estimated 41 million Americans.
One of the reasons, is that unused pills are being flushed or thrown down drains. As a result, they are not being filtered out by traditional sewage and wastewater facilities.
What you can do:
To find a Take Back Day location near you, CLICK HERE.
The Source: Information in this report is from the DEA and previously published reports.