Unused drugs accepted for proper disposal
By From staff reports
Published in News on September 19, 2014 1:46 PM
RALEIGH -- The State Bureau of Investigation, along with Safe Kids North Carolina and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, is co-sponsoring a national effort to safely dispose of unused prescription medicines in locations across the state from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning, according to Safe Kids, a non-profit organization that helps parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries. Environmental experts say that flushing medicines down the toilet contaminates water supplies and hurts aquatic life.
From Aberdeen to Pilot Mountain, law enforcement agencies are participating in U.S. DEA's National Take-Back Initiative. The State Highway Patrol is offering drop-off sites at its eight troop offices.
For those who do take old medications to drop-off locations, the service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
State and local law enforcement officials oversee the collection of the drugs, the State Highway Patrol provides vehicles to transport the medication and personnel, and the DEA pays to have the medications destroyed at an Environmental Protection Agency-approved incinerator.
To find a collection site in North Carolina, go to www.dea.gov. Click on Drug Disposal in the right-hand column, then National Take-Back Initiative / Locate a Collection Site Near You.