The Bloomington Police Department is collecting expired and extra prescription medicine for safe disposal as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Takeback Day.
The collection will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 25 at a tent outside the entrance of the Kroger on Liberty Drive. Representatives from BPD, Kroger Pharmacy and the DEA will collect the medicine, according to an email from BPD Captain Ryan Pedigo. Participants will not be required to identify themselves.
While most medicine types will be accepted, aerosol, liquids and needles will not be collected, Pedigo said.
The National Takeback Day initiative began in 2010 to prevent accidental overdose and misuse of leftover prescription drugs. Takeback Days occur every October and April. According to the DEA website, the agency hopes to prevent dangerous disposal methods such as flushing pills down the toilet, which can lead to contaminating city water supply.
Since its founding, the DEA has collected 20 million pounds of unused medication. Collected medication is then disposed of through incineration in a way that aims to prevent water supply pollution.
BPD participated in National Takeback Day three times starting in October 2023. It couldn’t participate in April this year because of Indiana University’s Little 500 scheduling conflicts.
BPD promotes the Takeback Day as a “safe, convenient, and responsible way of disposing of unwanted prescription medicine.
