Fairfax County Residents Drop Off 1,300 Pounds On National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The Fairfax County Police Department collected more than 1,300 pounds of unused and expired over-the-counter and prescription medications on Saturday as part of the 22nd Annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day initiative.

The purpose of the twice-a-year event, which took place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, is to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. Unused or expired over-the-counter or prescription medicine left unsecured can be prone to misuse and may contribute to overdoses and accidental poisonings.

The FCPD holds the event in partnership with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. During the April 2021 event, agencies across the U.S. collected nearly 840,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs.

Residents dropped off prescription and over-the-counter drugs at eight sites across Fairfax County on Saturday, with the West Springfield District Station collecting the largest amount of any site in the county.

Here's the amount of drugs collected at each of the eight sites:

• West Springfield District: 306 pounds
• Reston Hospital Center: 247 pounds
• Franconia District Station: 165 pounds
• Fair Oaks District: 160
• Mason District: 145 pounds
• McLean District: 116 pounds
• Sully District: 104 pounds
• Mount Vernon: 86 pounds

Drug take back boxes are available year-round at each of the eight police stations. Accepted items include prescription medication, prescription ointments, over-the-counter medications, and medications for pets. Prohibited items include needles, liquids of any kind, illegal drugs, non-prescription ointments and lotions, aerosol cans, and inhalers.

Addresses and additional information for each police station is available at these links: Sully District Station; Mount Vernon District Station; McLean District Station; Mason District Station; Reston District Station; Franconia District Station; West Springfield District Station; and Fair Oaks District Station.

If you can't make it to any of those locations, here's where to find another year-round drug take-back site.

RELATED: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday In Fairfax County