medication drop-off - WKTV Journal

By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

Residents can safely and anonymously bring expired, used prescriptions or over the counter medications to this free event for proper disposal.

Wyoming Police Department officers will be stationed at the University of Michigan Health-West Professional Building (2122 Health Dr) and at the Wyoming Police Department (2300 De Hoop Ave) from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 to assist in the medication collection process.

Prevent medication misuse and addiction

Unused prescription drugs often find their way into the wrong hands, creating dangerous and often tragic situations.

The DEA encourages the public to clean out their medicine cabinets and remove unneeded medications from their homes. This can help prevent medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.

October 2023 Take Back Day results included:

Total Law Enforcement Participation: 4383
Total Collection Sites: 4675
Total Weight Collected: 599,897 lbs. (300 tons)
Total Weight All Time: 17,900,351 lbs. (8,950 tons)

Find a collection site near you

Locate a local collection site near you here.

Locate year round pharmaceutical disposal locations here.

Processed medications will be transported to Kent County’s Waste to Energy Facility and incinerated (Courtesy Photo)

By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

The City of Wyoming addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue by participating in the semiannual “Drug Take Back Day” event Oct. 28.

DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Days are designed to make communities safer and healthier by providing a way to turn in unneeded medications, removing them from potential harm. This reduces drug addiction, overdoses, overdose deaths, and drug-related violence.

Millions of Americans misuse controlled prescription drugs (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Drug Take Back Day events are a joint effort between DEA, law enforcement, wastewater treatment facilities and government agencies to provide residents with safe, convenient access to proper medicine disposal.

“Medications collected in West Michigan are transported to Kent County’s Waste to Energy Facility, where they are incinerated,” the City of Wyoming website states.

Hosted by the City of Wyoming Police Station and U of M Health West campus, “Drug Take Back Day” will be held from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Wyoming Take Back History

In 2009, the City of Wyoming Clean Water Plant developed a new initiative called WyMeds designed to reduce the amount of medicinal waste from entering the wastewater system and our environment. The overwhelming success of this program led to its adoption by Kent County in 2010.

Now known as West Michigan Take Back Meds, the program serves the entire Kent County area as well as parts of Muskegon, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties.

Year Round Safe Medication Drop-Off

Drop off your unused medication all year round at one of these SafeMeds drop-off locations:

Wyoming Public Safety (2300 De Hoop Avenue)
Takes: Controlled and non-controlled substances
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

CVS Pharmacy (5603 Byron Center SW)
Takes: Controlled and non-controlled substances (No syringes, no inhalers)
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Meijer Pharmacy (5500 Clyde Park SW)
Takes: Controlled and non-controlled substances (No syringes, no inhalers, no liquids)
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.