KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
April 23, 2021
By Natalie Cook Clark
Katy ISD Police Department, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), is accepting expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications through a National Prescription Drug Take Back Event tomorrow.
A Free Drop-Off
“This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked of those individuals who decide to participate,” said Katy ISD Police Chief Henry Gaw.
Take Back Event Tomorrow
The event takes place tomorrow, Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mark L. Hopkins Law Enforcement Center at 20370 Franz Road.
Needles or sharp objects will not be accepted, and any liquids must be in prescribed containers.
This contactless, drive-through event is a safe way to get rid of unused medication as prescription drugs are never advised to be disposed of through the trash or by flushing down the toilet.
Improperly disposing of medications can contaminate water supplies and landfills. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) always advises turning unused medication over to takeback programs such as this.
When a take-back program isn’t available nearby, consider these helpful tips to safely dispose of unwanted medication.
Mix unused drugs with something undesirable, such as used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter. This makes it less appealing to children and pets and unrecognizable to someone who might intentionally go through the trash looking for drugs.
Make sure the mixture is in a container that won’t leak and then throw it away.
Scratch out all personal information on the empty medicine packaging to protect identity and privacy. Throw the packaging away.
According to the DEA, pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs, when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.
“Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, our collection efforts will be similar to last year with a contactless, drive-thru disposal process where residents can safely drop off unwanted medications,” added Chief Gaw.
Last October, Americans turned over 492.7 tons (985,392 pounds) of potentially harmful medicines. At the Katy ISD Police Department, officers collected over 900 pounds of unused/expired medications.