Prescription Drug Take Back Day In Norristown: How To Get Rid Of Unwanted Meds

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office will host their next Prescription Drug Takeback Day at various locations around the county on October 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The local drop off spot is the Norristown Police Department on 235 E. Airy Street.

According to the DA's office, providing a safe disposal method for unwanted and expired prescription medications is crucial in stopping addiction. Young people often start down the path to addiction and overdose by taking "one little pill" from the medicine cabinet, officials said. The drug take back program was launched in 2010.

Disposal is free and anonymous, but the public is urged to remove labels and to place medication in a plastic bag.

In addition to helping fight addiction, safe and proper disposal of prescription medications helps fight pollution, officials said. Flushing medicine down the toilet is not safe.

“Experience shows that the most effective and cost-efficient way to ensure high-quality water at the tap is to keep our source waters clean,” Pennsylvania American Water President Kathy L. Pape said in a statement. “We support this partnership because it helps spread an important message to the public: ‘Don’t flush medications down the toilet, where they would eventually end up in our waterways.’"

Accepted medications include:

• Prescription tablets and capsules
• Over-the-counter tablets and capsules
• Liquid medications
• Inhalers
• Creams and ointments
• Nasal sprays
• Pet medications

Intravenous medicines, injectable solutions, and needles are not accepted.

Images: courtesy Montgomery County District Attorney's Office and Patch file photo.