UNWANTED Prescription Drug Take-Back Event – October 26
Wisconsin will host its next Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on October 26! The City of Jefferson Police Department along with the Jefferson County Solid Waste Program will be hosting a special collection event at Walmart in Jefferson (1520 S Main St) on Saturday, October 26 from 10-2 p.m. Jefferson County residents are encouraged to bring their unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications for proper disposal! The Jefferson County Drug Free Coalition will also be on hand to provide resources!
What to Bring: Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, non-aerosol sprays, inhalers, creams, vials and pet medications. Solid, non-liquid medication(s) should be combined into a sealable, plastic bag; they do not need to be in their original pill bottles. Blister packages are acceptable without the medications being removed. Liquids, creams and sprays must be in their original packaging. Liquids, creams and sprays without the original packaging will not be accepted.
Do Not Bring: Illegal drugs, needles/sharps, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), mercury thermometers, personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens, etc.), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas).
The goal of the event is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of these medications. Unused prescription medications in homes create a public health and safety concern because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused.
Unused or expired medicine should never be flushed or poured down the drain. Removing potentially dangerous pharmaceutical substances from our medicine cabinets helps to prevent them from going into our water supply.
All waste pharmaceuticals collected at this event must be generated by a household. If you have any questions regarding this event, please feel free to contact Kim at 920-674-7430 or kimb@jeffersoncountywi.gov
Editor’s notes:
- There is a medication disposal receptacle in the Fremont Street foyer of the Municipal Building. However, due to a relatively recent change the only medications that may be deposited there are pills. In order to dispose of other types of medication (inhalers, liquids, sprays, ointments or lotions) at the city, an appointment must be made with a property custodian by calling 262-473-0555 option 1 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).
- Although it is indicated that the October 26 event is for Jefferson County residents, that county routinely allows participation in its events for any resident of the City of Whitewater, regardless of their county of residence.
- Should a resident have any unexpired medications that are either in blister packs or manufacturer containers that are still sealed, these may be donated for distribution to clients of some of the free clinics. The Whitewater Banner will research this matter further and hopes to provide an update in the near future.
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