If you are unsure of how to properly dispose of unused and expired medications, please visit the first-ever medicine take back event hosted by the Rhode Island Department of Health and Walgreens Pharmacy on Saturday, December 5, 2009. The event will be held at the Senior Center at 1291 Hartford Avenue in Johnston, RI from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The RI Department of Health is hoping this event will educate Rhode Islanders on proper drug disposal and encouraging all Rhode Islanders to collect their unused and expired medicines and drop them off for proper disposal.
Many people are unsure of what to do with unused and expired medications and quite often, drugs are dumped in the trash or down the drain or toilet. Recent reports have shown trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in our lakes and streams which may potentially contaminate our drinking water supply. David Gifford, Director, Rhode Island Department of Health states “Discarding medications in a responsible manner to prevent pollution and possible contamination to our drinking water is advisable. This event will help people understand how to practice proper medicine disposal”.
Community drug take-back programs are becoming more prevalent in an effort to educate the public on the detrimental impact of improper drug disposal on the environment and human health.
For more information on proper drug disposal, please visit
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/EnsuringSafeUseofMedicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf
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