Fairfield police department hosts pill disposal event

On Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Fairfield Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

This Drive-Thru event celebrating the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, invites visitors to the parking lot of the Police Station and City Hall, located at 1000 Webster St. This year’s dropoff location will be accepting liquids. Please be sure all medications are sealed tightly in a Ziploc bag. Sites cannot accept needles or sharps. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The collection site will follow local Covid-19 guidelines and regulations.

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved, abused or illegally sold. They also pose an environmental threat when improperly flushed down the toilet. Proper disposal of unwanted and unused prescription drugs saves lives and protects the environment.

The FDA provides information on how to properly dispose of prescription drugs. More information is available at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/whereand-how-dispose-unusedmedicines.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 23 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com or Contact Fairfield Police Crime Prevention at 707-428-7789.