The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and various local organizations are hosting events around the state to collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription medication that may be outdated or are no longer needed. Such medications should not be disposed of in the trash, so the collection events offer a free, safe, and convenient means of disposing of such drugs.
“Prescription drugs that are still in the house after they are no longer needed pose a clear and preventable safety risk,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Those medications may be accidentally ingested by a child or otherwise misused. Prescriptions that are no longer needed for a medical purpose should be disposed of, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.”
In 2022, Illinois Poison Control received 26,636 reports of accidental ingestion of medications in children ages 0-5, and 3,792 reports of teen suicide attempts by medication overdose involving young people between the ages of 13 and 19.
Take-Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at close to 5,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. Since its inception, the program has removed more than 8,600 tons of medication from circulation.
Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
Among the drop off locations:
Sangamon County Sheriff's Office
Sangamon County Department of Public Health
Chatham Police Department
Girard Police Department
Taylorville Police Department
Jacksonville Police Department
Decatur Police Department
Hillsboro Police Department
For more information and other collection sites, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
