Residents Can Safely Dispose of Drugs, Needles at Police Station

Wondering where to safely dispose of your empties? Prescription drugs, that is.

You now need look no further than the . City officials gathered last week to officially unveil two new drop boxes installed in the lobby of the station for residents to deposit their old medication bottles or used syringes and needles.

The two containers – one black for prescription drugs and the other red for needles and syringes – can accept controlled or legal substances. The city purchased the drop boxes with federal grant money awarded to the Healthy Peabody Collaborative, as part of its drug prevention efforts in the city.

Mayor Michael Bonfanti said there are several benefits to having the containers in an easily accessible location – from helping reduce pollutant waste into the sewer system (by emptying bottles down the drain or in the toilet) and removing temptations for youngsters looking to pillage mom and dad’s – or their grandparents’ even – medicine cabinet.

Bonfanti noted that senior citizens in particular are likely to have medicine cabinets “jam packed” with pills and bottles.

Prescription drug parties are known as “pharm parties” by the law enforcement and medical community.

“This is a safe, convenient way to dispose of [drugs] in an ideal location,” Bonfanti said – the station is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Police Chief Robert Champagne said that providing drop boxes is in line with the philosophy that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” He added that most everyone has excess medications in one form or another sitting at home and they may be unsure of how to properly dispose of them.

“This is no questions asked,” he said – just walk in and drop it off. “It helps community right across the board.”

Just as the press conference ended last week, the message had apparently already reached one Peabody resident – Barbara Cataldo walked into the station looking for where to drop off some old medications.

Cataldo said she was cleaning out her mother’s home and found a bunch of old prescriptions. She called the Health Department and was told to stop down to the police station on that day to drop them off.

Healthy Peabody Collaborative Executive Director Sara Grinnell also thanked for donating smaller containers for needles that will fit inside the larger red drop box. She said many times people may discard the protective packaging the syringe was first prescribed with.

The smaller containers are available from the front desk at the police station.

“Lahey is one of the largest providers of medications, so we feel responsible for helping clean up,” said Shawn Kinney, an administrator at .

Grinnell said she’s hoping to expand the program by spreading awareness of the drop boxes and how to safely dispose of medications to various senior advocacy groups. The city’s Health Department will also be working on the education component.

Bonfanti added a personal anecdote that he hoped might hit home with other grandparents. He said recently his young grandson was watching him as he took his nightly dose of medications – prescriptions many other 65-year-olds likely take as well – and he realized he needed to explain what he was doing.

“Sometimes kids get the wrong impression,” Bonfanti said, noting young children may think the pills are candy or some other type of treat – another perfect reason to safely dispose of excess medications.

“If not for yourself, do it for your grandchildren,” he said.

Items that you can drop off:

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications
• Medication samples,
• Vitamins
• Veterinary medications
• Narcotics
• Liquid medications
• RX samples

Items you can’t drop off:

• Thermometers
• IV bags
• Personal care products
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Inhalers

You can also stop by the Health Department in the lower level of  to safely dispose of needles and syringes. There is a collection box in the hallway outside the office. Puncture-resistant containers, such as bleach bottles, sealed and taped coffee containers or plastic soda bottles, can be used to hold sharps as well for disposal into the collection box.

The boxes at the police station will be under continual surveillance, but no ID needs to be shown when dropping off medications or sharps.