YORK COUNTY — Every year about this time, individuals and families rummage through their medicine cabinets and find old and unused prescription drugs they’d like to dispose of during National Drug Take Back Day.

This year’s event is no exception and will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 at locations throughout York County.     

According to Laura Overton of the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition’s Substance Use Prevention Program, National Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for misuse of medications. 

Participants can dispose controlled, non-controlled, and over-the-counter substances absolutely free and information will remain entirely anonymous. 

The Fall 2017 National Drug Take Back Day will take place at the following collection sites in Northern York County:

BIDDEFORD — Market Basket, 220 Mariner Way

BIDDEFORD — Hannaford, 299 Elm Street

BUXTON —Buxton Police Department, 185 Portland Road

BUXTON — Rite-Aid Pharmacy, 226 Parker Farm Road

KENNEBUNK — Hannaford Supermarket, 65 Portland Road

KENNEBUNK — Kennebunk Police Department, 4 Summer St.

KENNEBUNKPORT — Police Station, 101 Main St., Route 9

LYMAN — Goodwin Mills Fire Station, 481 Goodwins Mills Road

OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Police Station, 16 E. Emerson Cummings Blvd.

SACO — Community Center, 75 Franklin St.

SACO — Saco Police Department, 20 Storer St.

SANFORD — Sanford Police Department, 935 Main St.

WATERBORO — Goodwin Mills Fire Department, 481 Goodwin Mills Road

Those who miss the National Drug Take Back Day may also access MedReturn boxes year-round in local police department lobbies. ​

MedReturn boxes are available at police departments in Biddeford; Buxton, Kennebunk; Kennebunkport; Ogunquit; Old Orchard Beach; Saco; Sanford; Wells; and at the York County Sheriff’s Office in Alfred.

Northern York County’s Medication Return Boxes are an initiative supported by the Northern York County Prescription Drug Coalition.

The coalition is a private/public partnership which formed as a result of a timely meeting of concerned citizens, business representatives and professionals in public health and public safety fields.

Its mission is to keep the environment cleaner and communities safer by getting collected and properly disposing unwanted, unused, or expired drugs so they are not flushed into Maine’s environment or diverted to the street.

Overton said that MedReturn Drop Boxes are anonymous and free, but there are a few rules including removing any personal identification information from the label. The program also does not accept thermometers, batteries, durable medical equipment, intravenous solutions, injectables or illicit drugs.

For more information about the Northern York County Prescription Drug Coalition, Prescription Drug Disposal, and/or Misuse Prevention, contact Overton at loverton@une.edu.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.

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