Kane County to participate in DEA's prescription drug disposal
Doing some spring cleaning this weekend?
You might want to add your medicine cabinet to the list.
Saturday is the DEA's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, where residents can drop off unused or expired prescription drugs at a variety of sites between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for safe disposal.
Prescription drugs can get into the water supply when flushed down the toilet, and people can raid medicine cabinets in search of drugs to get high.
To find a site near you, visit the DEA website or call (800) 882-9539.
The Kane County Sheriff's Office, 37W777 Route 38, St. Charles is one participating agency.
And if you can't make it Saturday, the department has a permanent drop off box in its lobby available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
In the last six months, more than 500 pounds of prescription drugs have been brought in by residents. This is the largest six-month amount brought in and does not include totals from the last Take Back Day in fall 2013.
"These numbers are proof the citizens of Kane County see the value in properly disposing of prescription medication to avoid both abuse or misuse, and proper disposal (so) as not to contaminate our water supply by people flushing them down the drain," Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez said.
Last October, 324 tons, or 648,000 pounds of prescription drugs were turned in across the country at more than 5,600 sites operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies, according to the DEA.
It was the second highest total since the biannual program began in 2010.
The highest was in April 2013, when 371 tons were collected.
Many Kane County area police departments accept and dispose of prescription drugs, but only for residents of their cities and villages.
On Saturday numerous departments will accept prescription drugs for disposal from anyone, no questions asked.