PD Asks Residents To Drop Off Old Prescriptions Saturday

This Saturday, the Ramsey Police Station will accept expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, Chief Bryan Gurney said.

The lobby of the police station will be open to drop-offs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday.

This effort, Operation Take Back New Jersey, is a nationwide initiative driven by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“This is an important effort, and one that we have done before,” Gurney said. “Most people will flush their drugs, or get rid of them in other ways that can get them into the water system. This effort makes sure that pills are disposed of properly, which is really important.”

The PD cannot accept needles/sharps, syringes with needles, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, personal care products, empty containers, inhalers, medical equipment and hydrogen peroxide, he said.

According to Operation Take Back, the last drop-off day held in April, collected over 276 tons of unused medicine.

The OTB website, which says that NJ was the first state to develop this program, explains that law enforcement officials “dispose of these [collected], controlled substances in a safe and non-hazardous manner, preventing these pills from falling into the hands of juveniles or into the illicit market in our communities.”

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