Floyd County offering safe disposal of prescription drugs

Floyd County

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March 2, 2013

Floyd County offering safe disposal of prescription drugs

Boxes are located at jail and Floyd Memorial Hospital

By GARY POPP gary.popp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Sat Mar 02, 2013, 05:32 PM EST

FLOYD COUNTY — Floyd County law enforcement officers have teamed up with medical professionals to help community members rid their medicine cabinets of unwanted drugs.

Collection boxes have been installed at the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department and Floyd Memorial Hospital and are available to the public for safe disposal of prescription medications. Medications can be dropped off 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year.

“This program is intended to combat drug abuse and environmental pollution,” the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

Prescription drugs left unmonitored for long periods of time can be taken by those who are not the intended users. Medicines flushed down a toilet or poured down a drain can be harmful if released into the environment.

The two boxes are located at the jail lobby and in the hospital’s emergency room lobby.

“While we are required by program guidelines to monitor the boxes, the individuals who place medications in it will remain anonymous,” according to the news release.

Hypodermic needles and medications that contain mercury are not permitted to be deposited into the boxes. The drugs will be removed from the boxes by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department and taken to a vendor for proper disposal that eliminates the negative effects on the environment.