PENDLETON — People in Pendleton now have a new way to dispose of out-of-date and otherwise unwanted medication — and it is in a very secure location.
Pendleton Police Department and Drug Free South Madison County Coalition worked together to obtain a drop box, which is positioned in the front lobby of the police department at 550 N. Pendleton Ave.
“It’s so people won’t flush their meds,” said Wendy Cook of Intersect, a community organization primarily focused on reducing tobacco, alcohol and other drug use.
She said people commonly need to dispose of expired medications, supplies of prescriptions no longer needed and old vitamins.
Pendleton police have been involved in prescription drug disposal for many years, participating in occasional federal take-back programs.
But this location will be accessible to the public 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The purchase of the drop-off box was made possible by an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, a program focused on helping the environment of the southern Lake Michigan region—104 miles of heavily urbanized and industrialized shoreline in Illinois and Indiana.
The program is funded through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of Illinois and Purdue University, according to the program’s website, but it also “works in partnerships with key organizations, institutions, and agencies in the region to reach more audiences and multiply opportunities for success.
“(It) brings together scientists, educators, policy makers, community decision makers, outreach specialists, business leaders, and the general public to work towards a healthy environment and economy.”
Accepted items for disposal include prescription medications (including controlled); over-the-counter medications; pet medications; vitamins and supplements; medicated ointments, lotions, creams and oils; and liquid medication in leakproof containers.
Not accepted are needles/sharps; syringes with needles; thermometers; IV bags; bloody or infectious waste; personal care products; empty containers; hydrogen peroxide; aerosol cans; and full inhalers.
When the drop-off container is full, Pendleton police officer Marc Farrer will drive the waste to Indianapolis, where it is disposed of at Covanta Indianapolis.
Located at 2320 Harding St., Covanta Indianapolis’s 21-acre facility can process 2,175 tons of solid waste per day, which produces steam that is sold.
“Citizen Thermal Energy purchases the steam and supplies it to their customers, which include Lucas Oil Stadium and Bankers Life Fieldhouse,” according to Covanta’s website.
Farrer said if people want to take their personal information off drug containers, that’s fine but not necessary.
He said everything gets incinerated and nobody’s reading the labels.
“Nobody knows whose they are,” he said.