Seneca Sheriff announces drug take-back day

Again this year, Seneca County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2013 from 10AM-2PM This most important program provides Seneca County citizens an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription drugs.There will be two collection sites. North Seneca County residents can drop off their drugs at the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office Waterloo station located at 44 West William Street, Waterloo, N.Y., 13165. South Seneca residents can drop off at the Seneca County Law Enforcement Center located at 6150 Route 96, Romulus, N.Y. 14541. There are no questions asked and no paperwork to fill out. Please note that needles are not collected. Prescription drugs that have expired or are no longer being used can present potential health risks, especially if children in a home can access these drugs.Over 50 percent of adolescent misused prescription medications originate from the home. Removing these drugs from the home can help prevent pill misuse and reduce the risk of theft. Improper disposal of these drugs, such as flushing them, can cause environmental contamination.Last year, more than 188 tons of prescription drugs were brought to more than 5,000 take back disposal sites across the country. In Seneca County alone, over the past two years over 200 pounds of unused, expired and unwanted medications have been turned in for destruction.