On Saturday October 28th, 1,165 Clark County residents dropped off a total of 3,549 pounds of unused and unwanted medications with local law enforcement officers and volunteers. The drug disposal event was held at four locations throughout the county where a steady stream of cars waited to hand over medications and sharps. The busiest drop site was Cascade Park Kaiser Permanente, which served 518 participants that brought in 1,344 pounds of pills. All pills will be transported for incineration by the DEA.

The drug take back event is a community partnership that includes Clark County Public Health, Kaiser Permanente, PeaceHealth, Battle Ground Police Department, Vancouver Police Department, Washougal Police Department, Washougal Silver Star Search and Rescue, Walgreens, Connect Evergreen, Prevent Coalition, Prevent Together: Battle Ground Prevention Alliance, Unite! Washougal Community Coalition, Connect Evergreen, West Van for Youth, La Center United Prevent, and U.S. Dept. of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.

Prevent Coalition would like to thank PeaceHealth Southwest Urgent Care, Battle Ground Police Department, Kaiser Permanente Cascade Park, and Washougal Silver Star Search and Rescue for hosting the four event sites. Thank you to Kaiser Permanente for supplying all four sites with sharps containers to hand out to members of the public who turned in sharps at the event and to Clark County Green Neighbors for supplying the scales for weighing medications and large drums for proper disposal of sharps.

Unwanted medications can be disposed of year-round at several collection sites across Clark County. Controlled substances, such as pain killers and tranquilizers, can be taken to participating law enforcement agencies. Non-controlled substances, such as over-the-counter medications, can be taken to local participating pharmacies and sharps can be taken to local participating transfer stations.

For more information on both types of disposal, visit “Medications” at RecyclingA-Z.com.

For more information about other disposal or recycling options, visit ClarkGreenNeighbors.org or call Clark County Green Neighbors at (360) 397-2121 ext. 4352. Or call or email Prevent Coalition at 360-952-3461 or preventcoalition@esd112.org.