The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Ontario County, an initiative of the Partnership for Ontario County, are pleased to announce the next Prescription Drug Take Back Day for Saturday, October 28th at the Victor Village Hall from 10 am until 2 pm.
The purpose of this event is to collect and properly dispose of unwanted, unused and outdated prescription, pet and over–the-counter medications. The collected medications will be delivered to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), via the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office and once there, immediately incinerated.
Volunteers and signs will direct community members to our drop off site located in the Victor Village Hall Parking Lot. The Ontario County Sheriff’s Department will supervise the collection and pharmacists will be available for any questions.
Since 2010, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office and the Partnership for Ontario County have collected over 16,000 lbs of unwanted medication in Ontario County. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, three to seven percent of all medications go unused.
The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Ontario County is asking everyone to monitor all medications, secure it in a safe place and lock all narcotics. The Coalition asks the community to dispose of your medication properly at a medication take back event or one of the fifteen drop boxes located throughout the county.
Why are these steps so important? Three out of ten youth and young adults ages 12 – 25 report obtaining prescription drugs misused or abused from the homes of friends and family without their knowledge. Help us prevent addiction, accidental poisoning and protect the environment by monitoring, securing and disposing of your medication.
Addiction affects many in our community and has promoted this collaboration to address the problem by hosting these prescription drug take back days. In addition to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Ontario County and Victor Village Hall.
Additional support included Covanta Niagara Center, Thompson Health, Ontario County Office for the Aging, Ontario County Public Health, Meade Square Pharmacy, Sustainable Finger Lakes and others.
Please note, household waste, pesticides, etc. will not be collected at this event. Residents that have mercury or mercury containing devices will be instructed to hold that material until the next Ontario County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection day.
Additional prescription drug take back days will be held throughout the next year. Please watch for more information.