Drug Take Back Day Coming To East Hampton

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town is once again taking a stand to help dispose of unneeded medication and prevent misuse or accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

According to East Hampton Town officials, a Drug Take-Back Day is set for Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Hall, located at 159 Pantigo Road.

"The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs," town officials said.

The event marks the second and last take back for 2022. The April event resulted in the collection and disposal of approximately 50 lbs. of unneeded medications. A total of 500 pounds of unneeded medications have been collected since 2014, town officials said.

The Drug Take Back drop box will be located in the parking lot behind Town Hall. There is no
need to remove labels or take pills out of containers — just put them in a disposable bag and drop
them off at the drive-thru location. The service is free and anonymous — no questions will be
asked. All forms of medication will be accepted, with the exception of liquid medications,
syringes and business/professional waste, officials said.

The East Hampton Town Police Department’s Drug Take Back Initiative began as a way for
potentially dangerous medications to be properly disposed of to help keep the community as well
as the environment safe, town officials said.

Nationally, two-thirds of teens who misused pain relievers say they got them from family and friends, including their home’s medicine cabinets, a release added.

And the effort also protects the environment: Medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Proper disposal reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water.

Residents can turn in unused and expired medications for safe disposal year-round at the
following locations:

• East Hampton Town Police Headquarters, 131 Wainscott NW Road, Wainscott
• East Hampton Town Police Montauk Precinct, 8 South Embassy Street, Montauk
• East Hampton Village Police Headquarters,1 Cedar Street, East Hampton
• East Hampton Senior center, 128 Springs Fireplace Road, East Hampton
• Whites Apothecary of East Hampton, 81 Main Street, East Hampton