Drop Off Unwanted Prescriptions on Drug Take-Back Day 2015

Residents can safely clear out unused or expired prescription drugs during Prescription Drug Take-Back Day planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.

Montgomery County law enforcement agencies will offer the free and anonymous method of disposing of unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs. There will be drop-off locations throughout the county for prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications only.

Liquids, illicit drugs, needles, sharps and syringes cannot be accepted as part of the take-back program. Officers will staff collection boxes in the parking lots or in the lobbies of the following facilities:

Collection Sites:

Montgomery County Police Department:

• 1st District/Headquarters – 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg
• 2nd District Friendship Heights Community Center – 4433 S Park Avenue, Chevy Chase
• 3rd District – 1002 Milestone Drive, Silver Spring
• 4th District – 2300 Randolph Road, Wheaton
• 5th District – 20000 Aircraft Drive, Germantown
• 6th District – 45 West Watkins Mill Road, Gaithersburg
• Chevy Chase Village Police Department – 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase
• Gaithersburg City Police Department – 14 Fulks Corner Avenue, Gaithersburg
• Maryland State Police Rockville Barrack – 7915 Montrose Road, Rockville
• Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – 50 Maryland Avenue, Rockville
• Rockville City Police Department – 2 W. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville
• Takoma Park Police Department – 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park

Police are particularly interested in medications containing controlled substances but will accept any medications brought for disposal. All sites will take pills and medication patches of all kinds.

If possible, prescription labels should be removed or personal information should be blacked out. No questions will be asked.

Disposing of drugs through a drug take-back day is the safest option. If it is safe to dispose of a drug by flushing it down a toilet, the drug label or prescription information will indicate that option is an appropriate means of disposal. Otherwise, unused drugs should not be poured down a sink or flushed for disposal.

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

Unused and/or expired medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse.

All the returned medications on Drug Take-Back day will be destroyed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.