REMINDER: Residents can drop off unused medications for free, anonymous disposal this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the Kent Police Department (map below).
The collection is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s nationwide Drug Take Back Day.
No questions will be asked, according to the department’s event poster.
If there is inclement weather, the collection will move to the City Hall parking garage, with entrances off Gowe Street or Titus Street.
Kent Police will work directly with the DEA to dispose of the collected medications. The department says medicines left in home cabinets are vulnerable to misuse and that flushing or throwing away unused medications can pose safety and environmental hazards.
Organizers will accept controlled and noncontrolled medications, including over the counter products, solid medications and liquids in consumer containers. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original containers.
Participants may bring medicine in its original container or empty it directly into a disposal box at the site. Anyone submitting a container should remove identifying information by taking off the label or covering it with permanent marker.
Vape pens and electronic cigarettes will be accepted from individual consumers only if their batteries have been removed. The DEA will not remove batteries. For devices with batteries that cannot be removed, organizers suggest checking with large electronics retailers or a local hazardous materials management facility about disposal options.
The collection will not accept intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes, medical waste or substances prohibited under state or federal law.
For more information, contact Stacy Judd at 253-856-5883 or SJudd@KentWA.gov.
