SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It’s National Prescription Take Back Day on Saturday and communities across the Pioneer Valley are helping residents dispose of unused medications.
‘Little red house,’ historic Thomas Smith House in Agawam opens its doors for the season Prescription Take Back events give residents a chance to safely get rid of drugs that they are no longer using and don’t need. This event encourages the community to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off prescription or over-the-counter drugs for humans or pets. This is part of an effort to save lives by preventing misuse or accidental ingestion.
According to Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, nearly 72,000 pounds of drugs have been safely disposed of since 2011 during these Drug Take Back events.
Take Back collections are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at police departments or public safety complexes in the following communities:
- Deerfield
- Easthampton
- Hadley
- Montague
- Southampton
- Springfield
- Amherst
- Ashfield
- Athol
- Belchertown
- Bernardston
- Buckland
- Cummington
- Erving
- Goshen
- Granby
- Hatfield
- Leverett
- Montague
- Northampton
- Orange
- Pelham
- South Hadley
- Sunderland
- Ware
- Whately
- Williamsburg
Other drop-off sites are:
- Wildwood Elementary School in Amherst
- Town Common in Belchertown
- Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton
- Central High School Parking Lot on Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield
- Highway Department in Worthington
- Williamsburg Public Safety Complex on Main Street
Springfield Police Department Spokesperson Ryan Walsh told 22News why drug takeback events are good for the community, “We’re really happy that these events work and people are cleaning out their medicine cabinets or their bathrooms. Whatever it may be to dispose of pills they no longer need or that are expired to keep them out of the hands of someone who may go down the wrong path, and to keep them out of our water systems as well.”
Walsh says if you missed any of these events that you can find drop box locations on the Northwestern District Attorney’s website . If you aren’t ready to dispose of medications just yet the Springfield Police Department holds drug take back days twice a year with the next being held in October at Central High School.
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