National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Oct. 26 across the United States, and Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) will be providing residents the opportunity to dispose of medications, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, at the Household-Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The H-MRF is located on the County’s Valhalla Campus at 15 Woods Road in Valhalla. No appointment will be necessary on October 26 for residents wishing to dispose of medications only.
On April 27, 2019, the most recent National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, DEF collected 437 containers of medications totaling 82 pounds. DEF collected and safely disposed of 7,921 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medications in 2018.
Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 469 tons (more than 937,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the USDEA, and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 17 previous Take-Back events, USDEA and its partners have taken in more than 11.8 million pounds—approximately 5,900 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year, that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, residents are now being advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash— pose both safety and health hazards.
In the event that residents are unable to make it to the H-MRF on Oct. 26, Westchester County offers many opportunities to safely dispose of medications throughout the year. The H-MRF accepts medications on the first Tuesday of each month. For more information or to schedule an appointment to visit the H-MRF visit the Household Materials Recoverty Facitlity.
In addition, the County has installed locked and secured collection boxes at 38 police department headquarters throughout Westchester, where medications can be dropped off (most are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week). For more information, visit Medications Take Back .