Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Amy Marchiano, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·2 min read

Oct. 26—POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County residents are encouraged to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

At the event, which is free, people can drop off unused or expired medications at various locations in the county, no questions asked.

Saturday will be the 19th time that the county has participated in the event, Sheriff Joseph G. Groody said.

"I don't want drugs getting into the wrong hands," he said.

In addition to the take back day hours, during normal business hours, items can be put in drop boxes in the county courthouse at the security entrance and outside the sheriff's office, Groody said.

Personal information should be removed from bottles or packages.

Drugs collected will be picked up for disposal by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent at a later date and then incinerated.

Items not accepted are glass containers; intravenous solutions, injectables and syringes; and illegal substances such as marijuana and methamphetamines.

However, if someone drops off medical marijuana, it will be accepted.

The event is observed twice a year, in spring and fall. In April, 685 pounds of drugs were collected in the county.

The DEA started National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to help Americans rid their homes of old, unwanted or expired medications that often become a gateway to addiction, according to the DEA website.

The following locations are participating:

—Ashland Police Department, 401 S. 18th St.

—Butler Twp. Police Department, 211 Broad St., Fountain Springs.

—Cass Twp. Police Department, 1209 Valley Road, Duncott.

—Coaldale Police Department, 221 Third St.

—Frackville Police Department, 42 S. Center St.

—Girardville Police Department, 201 B St.

—Hegins Twp. Police Department, 425 S. Gap St., Valley View.

—Lehigh Valley Hospital East, 700 E. Norwegian St., Pottsville.

—Mahanoy City Police Department, 239 E. Pine St.

—McAdoo Police Department, 23 N. Hancock St.

—Minersville Police Department, 15 N. Delaware Ave.

—Orwigsburg Police Department, 209 N. Warren St.

—Palo Alto Police Department, 142 E. Bacon St.

—Pine Grove Police Department, 1 Snyder Ave.

—Port Carbon Police Department, 90 Washington St.

—Rush Twp. Police Department, 104 Mahanoy Ave., Hometown.

—Saint Clair Police Department, 24 N. Second St.

—St. Luke's Hospital-Miners Campus, 360 W. Ruddle St., Coaldale.

—Schuylkill County Courthouse (security entrance), 401 N. Second St., Pottsville.

—Schuylkill Haven Police Department, 220 Parkway.

—Shenandoah Police Department, 15 W. Washington St.

—Tamaqua Police Department, 320 E. Broad St.

—West Penn Twp. Police, 5 Municipal Road, South Tamaqua.

—West Mahanoy Twp. Police Department, 190 Pennsylvania Ave., Shenandoah Heights.

Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023