Fall Medication Take Back Day Saturday October 26

Be a part of the addiction and pollution solution by bringing your expired, unused, and unwanted pharmaceuticals and disposing of them at the Dubois County Medication Collection on Saturday, October 26 in collaboration with the DEA National Pharmaceutical Drug Take Back Event.  The Jasper State Police Post, located at 2209 Newton Street, will host the collection from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET while the Ireland Fire Station located at 4759 N 2nd Street, Ireland and the Ferdinand Fire Station located at 221 E. 4th Street., Ferdinand, will host the two county collection sites from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The Jasper Police Station located 309 E. 6th St also accept pharmaceuticals 24/7 year round in their drop box.

Dubois County residents are asked to rid their homes of expired, unwanted, and unused medications. Unused drugs are a common household health threat that can be lessened when you clean the old and unused meds out of your home. Don’t forget vitamins, ointments, drops, herbal products, meds that should have been kept cold but were not, and aerosols not in pressurized containers. These pharmaceuticals will be accepted at the collection sites.

No sharps (auto-injectors, needles, syringes, IV catheters, blades, lancets, auto-injectors, infusion sets, connection needle/sets, and glass), infectious materials, (anything containing bodily fluids) or waste will be collected.  This collection is for private citizens only.  No collections will be accepted from for profit businesses or health facilities.

Dubois County Solid Waste Management reminds residents that correct disposal of medications creates a safer and cleaner environment, and greater public awareness reduces illegal activities and scavenging of personal property and public waste receptacles.  Pharmaceuticals, when poured down the drain, or flushed down the toilet enter the sewage system, and potentially our rivers, ground water and drinking water. Some drugs may kill the beneficial bacteria in sewage treatment plants and septic systems if flushed down the drain and may produce resistant infectious bacteria.  Burning can release toxic pollutants into the air, and if thrown in the trash, can be scavenged from trash receptacles to be illegally sold or ingested.  If they go to landfills, drugs can create toxic leachate, which could contaminate the environment.

There are reasons why expiration dates are stamped on medication containers.  Chemical compositions and potency can change and become altered with age.  Keeping expired and unused medicines in the home is not safe.  Some medicine looks like candy to a child, and some may be tempting to a teen or someone with a problem.

The Dubois County Sheriff’s Department and the Ferdinand Police Department will attend to the collection at the county collection sites, while the Indiana State Police will attend the Jasper Post site.  

This project impacts the substance abuse and environmental stewardship of Dubois County communities.  The partners of this Dubois County Medication Collection are the DEA, Indiana State Police, Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Ferdinand Police Department, Dubois County Solid Waste Management District, Dubois County Substance Abuse Council, Dubois County CARES, and Ireland and Ferdinand Fire Stations.

For general information or if you have questions, contact: Carla Striegel-Winner, Dubois County Solid Waste Management District; 812-482-7865, [email protected]