Prescription Drug Take-Back, 24/7, at New Castle PD

People in New Castle are now able to safely dispose of their prescription drugs anytime. 

There is a new collection bin inside the lobby of the New Castle Police Department's headquarters on South Greeley Avenue.

It's an unmet need in the community, said police Chief Charles Ferry. In fact, right after police announced it April 7, a resident dropped by to drop stuff in, said police Lt. Dan Cannon.

The MedReturn drug take-back kiosk—it looks like a space-age mailbox—is secure and anonymous. And it's there 24/7 to collect unwanted drugs and make sure they are disposed of properly before they can be misused. 

Prescription drug abuse is a fast-growing problem. However, many Americans are still not aware that unused or expired medicines are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Plus, everyone finally realized that the old recommendation for safely disposing of unwanted drugs down the toilet meant the stuff was getting into the nation's water supply. As the Natural Resources Defense Council points out:

Back in the day, we just flushed them away. Then we got the bad news—widespread contamination of streams by pharmaceuticals, according to a 1999-2000 study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Next, we learned from a 2008 investigation by the Associated Press that there were drugs in the drinking water supplies of 41 million Americans.

In New York, the state health department and the USGS tested the source of the city's water, upstate. They found trace concentrations of heart medicine, antibiotics, estrogen, anti-convulsants, a mood stabilizer and a tranquilizer, according to DisposeMyMeds.org.

And it's not legal just to toss them in the trash.

You can dispose of prescription pills and patches. Keep them in their original capped containers, and if you're worried about privacy, redact your name with a marker. You can dispose of over-the-counter pills, vitamins, samples and pet medications. 

You cannot dispose of ointments, aerosols, inhalers, needles and sharps, hydrogen peroxide, lotions or liquids. 

Residents are encouraged to check their homes for old medications and drop them in the bin at police headquarters, 200 S. Greeley Ave.

The kiosk was funded with a grant from Westchester County's Medication Take-Back Program 2014. New Castle joins 23 of the county's police departments with an ongoing drug disposal collection program.