Prescription Drug Take Back Day

media release: Safe Communities Madison-Dane County and the African American Opioid Coalition, in partnership with local law enforcement and community organizations, invite the public to participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Safely turn in expired unused, or unwanted prescription drugs at 16 collection sites around Dane County on Saturday, October 26th.

Prescription drug misuse is a growing concern across the nation, with severe implications for public health and safety. Leftover and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can be found in every household in the county. Studies indicate that most misused prescription drugs come from family and friends, so safely disposing of unused medicine is essential. 

The statistics regarding prescription drug misuse are alarming. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), nearly 45.8% of American Adults used a prescription drug in the last 30 days and nearly 16 million Americans misuse prescription drugs each year. Unused or expired medicine should never be flushed or poured down the drain. Water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all of them, and trace amounts of pharmaceuticals are showing up in rivers and lakes.

To address these concerns, Safe Communities is hosting three drop-off sites on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in Madison:

Elver Park - 1250 Mckenna Blvd Madison, WI 53719

Warner Park - 2930 N Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53704

Mt. Zion Baptist Church Food Pantry - 2029 Fisher St., Madison, WI 5371

These locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 26, 2024, providing a safe way for individuals to dispose of their unused or expired prescription medications. Law Enforcement officers and volunteers will be on hand to collect and securely transport the medications for proper disposal.

To ensure the success of Drug Take Back Day, the Wisconsin Department of Justice relies on assistance from the DEA, and the generous support of Fuchs Trucking, Covanta Energy, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana State Police, Waukesha County, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office, and all participating local law enforcement agencies.

Safe Communities encourages all community members to take advantage of this opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and contribute to the prevention of prescription drug misuse. By participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, you can help protect our environment and keep medications out of the wrong hands.

GUIDELINES:

All prescriptions must be from a household – no businesses are allowed.

Bring: Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol sprays, creams, vials, and pet medications.  Sharps will also be accepted.

Do Not Bring: Illegal drugs, acids, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreen), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas), mercury thermometers. 

Participants may dispose of solid, non-liquid medication(s) by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into a disposal box or in a clear sealable plastic bag. Plastic pill containers should not be collected. Blister packages without the medications being removed are acceptable.

Liquids will be accepted during this initiative. However, the liquids, creams, and sprays must be in their original packaging. Liquids without the original packaging will not be accepted.

Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.

For more information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day or other Meddrop Boxes located around Dane County please visit www.safercommunity.net, or contact Tom Duval.

About Safe Communities: Safe Communities is a membership-based injury prevention coalition that strives to make the community a healthy and safer place for all individuals. Our mission as Safe Communities is to build partnerships with people and organizations to save lives, prevent injuries, and make our community safer. Safe Communities focuses on the leading causes of injury in Dane County: drug poisoning prevention, elderly falls prevention, traffic safety/pedestrian safety, and suicide prevention.

Other National Prescription Drug Take Back Sites in Dane County (10/26 unless noted)

Attic Angel Community, 8301 Old Sauk Rd, Middleton WI 53562, 10/24, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm 

City of Sun Prairie Police Department, 300 E. Main St, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  

City of Stoughton, Fire Station, 401 E Main St, Stoughton, WI 53589,  9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

City of Verona Police Department, 111 Lincoln St, Verona, WI 53593, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  

Village of Cross Plains Police Department, 2417 W Brewery Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  

Oakwood Village Univ Woods 6205 Mineral Point Rd (West), Prairie Ridge 5565 Tancho Dr (East), 10/25, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Village of Oregon Police Department, 383 Park St, Oregon, WI 53575, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  

Village of Waunakee Police Department, 205 N. Klein Dr, Waunakee, WI 53597, 10:00 a.m. - noon 

Village of Shorewood Police Department, 810 Shorewood blv, Madison, WI 53705,10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Police, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

UW Library Mall, Outside of 333 E Campus Mall, 10/23/2024 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

YMCA, 711 Cottage Grove Rd, Madison, WI 53716, 10/24/2024 11:00 am - 12:30 pm