PEORIA, Ill. — The fall 2019 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is slated for Saturday, October 26, and Peoria County residents have a plethora of places to safely dispose of their unused medications.
Members of the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, Peoria Police Department, and Peoria Heights Police Department are scheduled to have a presence from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. at the Peoria County Jail, the Knoxville Ave. Kroger, and Route 91 OSF Center for Health.
These sites will be drop-off points for any unused, expired, and unneeded prescription and over-the-counter medications.
The PPD and PHPD are also scheduled to have drop-off boxes.
While self-disposal may seem like a more convenient option, Peoria County Regional Office of Education Assistant Regional Superintendent Dr. George McKenna explained the importance taking the extra step of getting rid of drugs properly.
“Flushing them down the toilet can cause problems, obviously, as those medications enter the water system,” he said.
“So, that’s never a suggestion. I think that’s always an absolute last resort if you can’t either drop them off at a local pharmacy that might be able to take those medications or be able to take advantage of a Drug Take Back Day.
“We will collect them at all the sites and the Drug Enforcement Administration will actually dispose of the medications in an incinerator.”
McKenna said events like this are no questions asked and judgment-free.
“You walk up and either dump it into the container or we’ll take it from you and dump it into the container and you walk out the door. There’s no conversation,” he said.
“It’s just so important to get those medications out of people’s bathrooms and kitchens because they can be abused by others who might steal them, ultimately.”
Anyone unable to participate in Saturday’s event or who needs to dispose of drugs on a day other than a Drug Take Back Day may drop them off anytime, at the PPD, PHPD, Bartonville Police Department, or Chillicothe Police Department, which have permanent drop-off sites.
