KINGSVILLE, Tx — There’s lots of different ways to keep the community safe and usually it’s a team effort. Now, it’s a team effort that everyone can be a part of this Saturday.
“A lot of times when people have unused medication, they don’t know what to do with it so they consider dumping it in the trash or dumping it down the sink or in toilet,” Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation's Youth Programs Director Barton Bailey said.
Dumping unused or expired prescription drugs in the toilet or trash isn’t safe.
That’s the reason behind Saturday's Prescription Take Back Event at the Housing Authority at 1000 W Corral Ave. from 10 a.m - 12 p.m.
“Everyone receives prescriptions for one thing or another. It’s just a quick drive-by event for you as you’re on your way out to do your things for the day,” Bailey said.
Handing over your prescriptions at the event helps keep the environment safe.
“It helps keep them out of our water system and landfills,” Bailey said.
It also helps minimize the chances of a child or someone else at home getting into the bottle and prevents accidental overdoses.
“I don’t have little ones anymore but I used to and you don’t want children or anybody even people older than I am getting into it. And it can happen unfortunately,” Kingsville woman Patty Reefe said
Reefe encouraged those with unused or expired prescription drugs to swing by the Housing Authority to drop them off. But if for some reason you cant make it, there’s always a safe alternative down the road.
“When my husband died, I would go to the police station to dispose of them. People are unaware of where you can take the pills, so it’s nice to know there is a place,” Reefe said.
For those handing over their unused or expired pills, the Drug Enforcement Agency will take them and dispose of them properly. That could be by burning them or other safe alternatives for the community and environment.
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