A Safe Way to Dispose of Prescription Drugs

[quote style=”2″]HPD Drug Box Lets You Get Rid of Old Prescriptions – No Questions Asked[/quote]

Ever wonder what’s the proper way to dispose of prescription drugs that you no longer need or that have expired? Most people probably throw them in the garbage or flush them down the toilet.

But there’s a better option that is both safe and environmentally friendly – take them down to the Hermiston Police Department and drop them off in the department’s drug box located in the HPD lobby. There are no forms to fill out, no signature required and no questions will be asked.

“This idea came from one of our officers during a department meeting,” said HPD Chief Jason Edmiston. “The trickle down impact by having this box available for citizens to come to the lobby of the station and dispose of medicines with no questions asked is only going to help improve the livability of our citizens and potentially keep our wastewater clear of high levels of controlled substances.”

The department received a grant to purchase a prescription drug box from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) in October 2012. In the first 12 months, a total of 139.4 pounds of prescription drugs were deposited in the box.

The box is for prescription medications only and needles, liquids and glass bottles are prohibited.

The HPD then takes the drugs and incinerates them using what it calls the Drug Terminator.

The NADDI has launched the drug box program in an effort to significantly reduce the prescription drugs in American homes that are either no longer needed or outdated. Prescription drugs are often targeted by thieves.

“We know, a lot of times, that with the burglaries we have, the only things taken are prescription medicines,” Edmiston said. “Often times the elderly are targeted because they typically have more medications in the home.”