Get Rid of Your Old Meds

As part of the national Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, police stations throughout the county will be collecting unwanted drugs Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Illicit drugs and needles cannot be accepted as a part of this take-back program.

Montgomery County Police will host six drop-off locations:

• 1st District Station: 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg
• 2nd District Friendship Heights Community Center, 4433 S. Park Ave, Chevy Chase
• 3rd District Station: 801 Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring
• 4th District Station: 2300 Randolph Road, Wheaton
• 5th District Station: 20000 Aircraft Drive, Germantown
• 6th District Station: 45 West Watkins Mill Road, Gaithersburg

Police said that special disposal of medicine is not always necessary and can sometimes be thrown in the trash.  The County’s Division of Solid Waste Services suggests:

• Place unwanted or expired medication into a plastic bag (with a seal) or other empty container to prevent liquid medications from leaking out.
• Mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds or sawdust. Liquid medications can be solidified using kitty litter or sawdust.
• Seal the bag and/or container.
• Crush pills or tablets.
• Put the bag and/or container containing the medication into your regular household trash.
• Remove the label with the patient’s name from the original medicine vial or bottle.
• Place the empty plastic vial or bottle into your blue recycling bin. Empty aerosol inhalers can be recycled in our blue recycling bin, too.