Medication Disposal Bags Available At Shaker Fire Station No. 1

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — Shaker Heights residents will be able to get free Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal Bags from Fire Station No. 1 this weekend.

The city's fire department is working with the ADAMHS Board and the city of Cleveland to help community members safely dispose of their unwanted prescription medications. To that end, the fire station has been provided Deterra Bags to provide, free of cost, to residents.

Deterra Bags work like this: Put unused, unwanted, or expired medication in the bag; add warm water; close, shake and toss in the trash. The bags will deactivate the medication, so there will be no environmental concerns with the disposal. The Deterra Bag handout will last until supplies are gone.

The initiative is being rolled out as party of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. In addition to the Deterra Bags, police departments and CVS stores throughout Northeast Ohio will provide medication drop-off sites, where community members can safely dispose of their unwanted medications.

“We know the DEA and many law enforcement and community partners host prescription drug drop off sites,” said Scott Osiecki, ADAMHS Board CEO. “However, not everyone can make it out with their prescriptions on that day or during the drop off hours. That’s why in addition to drug drop off sites and to ensure that as many unused prescriptions as possible get safely disposed of, the ADAMHS Board and its partners are making 5,000 Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal Bags available to community members.”

If community members cannot reach a participating police department on Saturday, they can always drop their medications off at the following CVS sites:

• 2007 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44109
• 3728 Pearl Road, Cleveland, OH 44109
• Cleveland Police Headquarters, 1300 Ontario Street (donated by CVS)
• CVS Pharmacy is adding a third location in May at 840 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland

Notably, the drop-off sites cannot accept liquid medications or syringes. Only pills and patches will be accepted.