Washington Co., WI – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) will coordinate a Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative throughout Wisconsin on Saturday, April 22, 2023.
The Prescription Drug Take-Back Day goal is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal of prescription medications, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications. Unused prescription medications in homes create a public health and safety concern because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused.
Unused or expired medicine should never be flushed or poured down the drain. Removing potentially dangerous pharmaceutical substances from our state’s medicine cabinets helps to prevent them from going into our water supply. Water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all of them and trace amounts of pharmaceuticals are showing up in rivers and lakes around the world.
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No businesses allowed. All waste pharmaceuticals must be generated by a household
On Saturday, April 22, 2023, participating law enforcement agencies can host one or more collection sites at locations and times of their choosing. Law Enforcement agencies do not need to host a take-back event in order to participate in this program. Agencies offering a permanent drug drop box can turn over the collected drugs to DOJ for disposal.
Bring: Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, non-aerosol sprays, inhalers, creams, vials and pet medications.
Do Not Bring: Illegal drugs, needles/sharps, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), mercury thermometers, personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens, etc…), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas).
- Participants may dispose of solid, non-liquid medication(s) by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into a disposal box or into a clear sealable plastic bag. Plastic pill containers should not be collected. Blister packages are acceptable without the medications being removed.
- Liquids will be accepted during this initiative. However, the liquids, creams, and sprays must be in their original packaging and evenly distributed within the boxes of collected solid prescription medications. Liquids without the original packaging will not be accepted.
- Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.
- All participants must retain possession of their own medication during the surrender process. Law enforcement personnel should not handle the medications at any time.
Click here to search for a prescription drug take-back location near you.
For questions, please contact Danielle Long at longdb@doj.state.wi.us or (414) 403-4437
