BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – It’s time for people to get those unwanted medications out of their bathroom cabinets.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the state Department of Justice to hold a Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday.
From 11 am to 2 pm, people will be able to safely dispose of their drugs at the Allouez, Bellevue, and Denmark village halls as well as the Suamico Drug Enforcement Administration.
While prescription and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol sprays, creams, vials, and pet medications are accepted, Brown County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Kevin Kinnard says there are some items that will not be collected.
Those include illegal drugs, needles/sharps, acids, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous material, personal care products, household hazardous waste, and mercury thermometers.
Information on how to dispose of sharps is available at: http://www.co.brown.wi.us/departments/?department=fd7fb6bc484c&subdepartment=150121271284.
Kinnard says the reason for participating in the Prescription Drug Take Back Day is to bring focus to the issue of prescription medication diversion and concerns over prescription painkiller abuse.
While the collected substances might not seem dangerous, Kinnard notes “probably two-thirds of people who are abusing prescription painkillers will typically tell law enforcement that they’re getting those pills from family members through unused prescriptions.”
He says abusing prescription medications often leads to problems with heroin and other opiate drugs.
Once the drugs are collected, Kinnard notes “they’re kept in secure storage until they’re turned over to the Department of Justice, who properly disposes of them in an incinerator.”
There is no cost to the county or its municipalities.
People are advised to remove any solid, non-liquid medications from its original container and putting it directly into a disposal box or into a clear, plastic bag.
While plastic pill containers are not accepted, blister packages with medications will be taken.
Liquids, creams, and sprays must be in their original packaging for collection.
A complete list of Wisconsin drop-off sites is available at http://doseofrealitywi.gov/drug-takeback/find-a-take-back-location/.
