Pill Take-Back Protects Water Quality, Reduces Opportunities for Rx Abuse

The National Pill Take Back Initiative allows citizens to safely discard expired, unwanted or unused prescription medications. It is part of the ongoing effort to address the problem of prescription drug abuse and keeping a clean environment. In addition to getting drugs off the streets, it also helps improve our water quality. Proper disposal of medicines can help alleviate the issue of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals that have been detected in some drinking water systems around the country. Disposing of unused medicines down the toilet or sink drain can contaminate our aquatic environment, because wastewater treatment systems are unable to remove many medications from the water they process.

Unwanted prescription medications can be dropped off--no questions asked--from 10 am to 2 pm on Sept. 25 at Westfield Countryside (Sears parking lot), 27001 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater. (The program is for private individuals, not commercial use.)