The Egyptian Health Department is reminding area residents that National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held Saturday providing an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired medications. The nationwide event, organized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at participating collection sites across the country. The free event allows residents to dispose of medications safely and anonymously, helping prevent prescription drug misuse, accidental poisonings, and medications from falling into the wrong hands. Accepted items at DEA collection sites include prescription tablets, capsules, patches, and liquid medications securely sealed in their original containers. Syringes, needles, and illegal drugs will not be accepted.
The Egyptian Health Department notes that while National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is held twice each year, several agencies, hospitals, and pharmacies throughout Southern Illinois offer year-round medication disposal services. According to the health department, permanent medication disposal locations are available in Wayne, White, Hamilton, Gallatin, and Saline counties.
WAYNE COUNTY:
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, located at 305 East Court Street in Fairfield, provides medication disposal services 24 hours a day. The department can be contacted at 618-842-6631.
Fairfield Memorial Hospital, located at 303 Northwest 11th Street in Fairfield, also accepts unwanted medications 24 hours a day. Medications can be dropped off at the hospital’s main entrance. For additional information, call 618-842-2611.
WHITE COUNTY:
The White County Sheriff’s Department, located at 108 North Main Cross Street in Carmi, provides a medication drop box in its lobby. The location is listed as available 24 hours a day. The department’s phone number is 618-382-5321.
HAMILTON COUNTY:
Hamilton Memorial Hospital, located at 611 South Marshall Avenue in McLeansboro, offers a medication drop-off location near registration. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The hospital can be contacted at 618-643-2361.
York Pharmacy, located at 107 East Main Street in McLeansboro, has a medication drop box in its lobby. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Liquids and sharps are not accepted at this location. The pharmacy’s phone number is 618-643-3524.
GALLATIN COUNTY:
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department, located at 484 North Lincoln Boulevard in Shawneetown, offers medication disposal at the courthouse. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, call 618-269-3137.
SALINE COUNTY:
Becks Drugs, located at 1409 Locust Street in Eldorado, has a medication drop box in its lobby. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. The pharmacy can be reached at 618-273-8111.
The Eldorado City Police Department, located at 921 Veterans Drive in Eldorado, provides an outdoor medication drop box accessible 24 hours a day. The department’s phone number is 618-273-2141.
Ferrell Hospital, located at 1201 Pine Street in Eldorado, has a medication drop box in its main lobby. The location is listed as available 24 hours a day. The hospital can be contacted at 618-273-3361.
Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, located at 1101 U.S. Route 45 North in Eldorado, offers an outdoor medication drop box available 24 hours a day. The pharmacy’s phone number is 618-273-4941.
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office, located at 1 North Main Street, Suite 1, in Harrisburg, provides a medication drop box in its lobby. The location is listed as available 24 hours a day. The sheriff’s office can be reached at 618-252-8661.
PROPER MEDICATION DISPOSAL:
Health officials say proper disposal of medications can help prevent prescription drug misuse, accidental poisonings, and environmental contamination.
According to the Egyptian Health Department, many medication collection locations accept prescription and over-the-counter medications, including pills, vitamins, antibiotics, painkillers, and certain liquid medications.
Items generally not accepted include oxygen tanks, asthma inhalers, thermometers, hearing aids, needles, and other sharps. Residents should check with individual collection locations regarding specific restrictions before dropping off medications.
The health department encourages residents to regularly check their medicine cabinets and safely dispose of medications that are expired or no longer needed.
Residents can locate participating collection sites for Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by visiting www.DEATakeBack.com. The year-round disposal locations listed above are separate from the Saturday event, and residents should confirm participation before visiting during the national collection hours.
Since the national program began in 2010, the DEA reports that more than 21 million pounds of unwanted medications have been collected nationwide.