Saturday is Drug Take Back Day, and a number of law enforcement agencies throughout the United States will take part in the effort to remove unwanted, unused and potentially dangerous controlled substances and over-the-counter medications from medicine cabinets.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office will partner in the National Take Back Day from 10 until 2 in the parking lot of Orscheln Farm and Home on U.S. Highway 62B in Mountain Home. Deputies will be available to assist members of the public. The sheriff’s office also has a secure dropbox at 206 West Eighth Street. It’s accessible at all times and under 24-hour recorded surveillance for security purposes. For more information, contact the sheriff’s office at 870-425-7000.
The Bull Shoals Police Department is taking part in the Arkansas Drug Take Back Day Saturday with the theme “30K Save the Day.” Residents can bring their outdated and no-longer-used prescription medications for disposal to the department at Bull Shoals City Hall from 10 to 2. The goal statewide is to collect 30,000 pounds of prescription drugs. For further details, contact the Bull Shoals Police Department at 870-445-4775.
The Drug Take Back Day provides an opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for destruction. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to children and to public health and safety. This event is intended to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse.
In the past, flushing medications and drugs seemed to be a safe and responsible method of disposal. It has been determined the drugs do not completely disintegrate and are contaminating our waterways. Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not generally designed to treat pharmaceutical waste. The risk to the health of our waters is significant when we contribute to pollution by what we pour down our drains. This ends up in our creeks, rivers, and lakes, and it places our drinking water supply at unnecessary risk.
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