Press Releases

Saturday, October 26th Is DEA National Rx Drug Takeback Day



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Contact: Beth Stone – 508-584-8120

BROCKTON – Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz is reminding residents to safely recycle their expired and unwanted medications at drop boxes in police stations around the county as part of Plymouth County’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program.

This Saturday, October 26th, is the U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The DEA organizes this day twice a year to encourage citizens to properly dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications. In 2013, DA Cruz and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald announced the local Plymouth County Drug Take Back Program. Partnered with Covanta Energy’s Rx4Safety Program, the medication return boxes were placed in police stations around Plymouth County.

Residents are asked to dispose of their unwanted or expired medications into boxes located inside participating police departments, which are under 24-hour surveillance. Police inventory and log the contents of the disposal boxes and the drugs are transported to Covanta Energy’s incinerator in Plymouth where they are destroyed and turned into renewable energy.

“We can all do our part to help in this overdose crisis, and taking the time to get rid of unused and expired medications could mean eliminating the risk of drug theft and abuse in your home,” DA Cruz said. “This is a small but important step to take to keep illegal drugs off of our streets and out of our neighborhoods.”

According to the U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Program, 937,443 pounds of medications were collected across the United States at the National Prescription Take-Back Day held on April 27, 2019. Of that, the DEA estimated that 28,118 pounds were collected in Massachusetts.

Drug return boxes are currently located at all police stations in Plymouth County except Plympton. Residents there should go to the Carver Police Department. Addtionally, campus police stations at Bridgewater State University, Massasoit Community College and Stonehill College all now have drug return boxes. All drops are completely anonymous.

Medications accepted are pills, capsules, patches, prescription medications and ointments and medicines in leak-proof, unbreakable containers. Over-the-counter medications, vitamins and pets medicines are also accepted. No needles will be accepted.

October 23, 2019