Drug Take Back Day in Mount Pleasant
MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. - Saturday was Drug Take Back Day across Wisconsin and the nation, giving the public a chance to safely dispose of unused or expired medication.
Drug Take Back Day
Big picture view:
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said 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 around the world.
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"It is very important to dispose of those medications properly, for the mere fact you don't want to be flushing them down the toilet – contaminates the water, soils the environment, the plants," said Mount Pleasant Police Officer Usiel Ramos.
Year-round drop off
What's next:
If you missed a Drug Take Back Day event in your community, there are opportunities to dispose of unwanted medication year-round. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has a map of year-round collection sites.
What you can do:
The Wisconsin DOJ said all pharmaceutical waste must be from households – no businesses are allowed to participate.
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"It's not important to have those medications that are sitting around your house, because they lose their potency after a while," Ramos said. "You want to keep them away from children and pets, because you don't want them consuming that medication either."
People can dispose of solid, non-liquid medications by removing the label or blacking out personal information on the label of the plastic pill container or by putting the medication into a clear sealable plastic bag. Blister packages without the medications being removed are also 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.
Bring:
- Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications
- Ointments
- Patches
- Inhalers
- Non-aerosol sprays
- Creams
- Vials and pet medications
- Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices (batteries removed)
Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.
Do not bring:
- Illegal drugs
- Needles/sharps
- Acids
- Aerosol cans
- Bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood)
- Personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens)
- Household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas)
- Mercury thermometers
The Source: FOX6 News referenced information from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Mount Pleasant Police Department.