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Unwanted medications, prescription or over the counter, may be dropped off at the Greer Police Department at 102 S. Main Street and placed in the "Drug Diversion Box".
Reynolds gave his annual police department report to City Council on Tuesday.
The medications, prescription and over the counter, are mostly turned into the police department at a mailbox-sized Drug Diversion Box.
“The public has really taken to bringing their outdated medications to the department,” said Sgt. Chad Richardson, Community Outreach Director. “They know it’s safe and feel we will dispose of it properly.”
Each year the amount of medications continue to rise, according Reynolds’s report to council.
The Drug Enforcement Division picks up the medications from the GPD and takes it to its burn site where they are disposed. “The DEA makes it so easy for us now,” Richardson said.
In the past Richardson would take the medications to an area burn site to dispose of them.
Here’s some Food and Drug Administration tips Richardson suggested following for the drug take-back program.
If no disposal instructions are given on the prescription drug labeling and no take-back program is available in an area, throw the drugs in the household trash following these instructions:
• Remove medications from their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds, dirt or kitty litter (this makes the drug less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through the trash seeking drugs).
• Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can or other container to prevent the drug from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.
• Scratch out all identifying information on the prescription label to make it unreadable. This will help protect your identity and the privacy of your personal health information.
• Do not give your medicine to friends. Doctors prescribe medicines based on your specific symptoms and medical history. Something that works for you could be dangerous for someone else.
• When in doubt about proper disposal, ask your pharmacist.