Kansas State University

National Drug Take Back Day April 30

Submitted by Abigail Crouse

K-State’s Pollution Prevention Institute encourages K-Staters to participate in National Drug Take Back Day on April 30. Local agencies are partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to prevent medication misuse, opioid addiction and environmental contamination by ridding homes of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. 

Prescription drug abuse and disposal are both a public and an environmental health threat. Improper disposal of medications via sewers or landfills leads to surface water contamination. Returning unused or unwanted medications to a pharmacy or bringing them to a law enforcement agency are the best methods for keeping these substances from entering the water supply.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the K-State Pollution Prevention Institute is offering education and outreach sessions to various communities in Kansas and Missouri with a focus on rural access to safe drug and sharps disposal. If you know of an organization or community that would like to learn more about safe disposal as a way to prevent drug abuse and keep toxic waste out of landfills, contact the institute by calling 800-578-8898.

For more information about the proper disposal of prescription medications or the Drug Take Back Day event, visit sbeap.org/safe-disposal.