The University of Wisconsin Police Department is preparing to co-host the Drug Enforcement Administration’s fourth annual initiative to collect potentially dangerous medications and dispose of them safely this Friday.
The National Take-Back Initiative will allow students and community members to drop off unneeded or expired medications in buckets with UWPD officers. Those who drop off medications will not be required to answer questions or get out of their vehicles.
Police are also moving the event to Friday, rather than its nationwide Saturday date, in order to accommodate students, staff and faculty at the university, UWPD Sgt. Aaron Chapin said.
Chapin said the initiative will try to make the community safer by keeping potentially dangerous medications out of people’s homes.
“One of the biggest goals is to try to keep these things out of people’s houses and not allow these types of medications in the hands of people who shouldn’t be taking them,” Chapin said.
Chapin said collecting the potentially harmful medications could ensure they remain out of reach of children and are not taken past expiration dates. He added ensuring the medications are disposed of correctly can prevent any environmental harm when people throw them away improperly.
Middleton and Fitchburg police departments will also be collecting medications on Saturday, giving more Madison residents opportunities to drop off medications, Chapin said.
He added the process is completely anonymous, as the department takes no information from people dropping off their medications.
On Friday, UW community members can dispose at 1429 Monroe St. in Madison, across from Camp Randall Stadium. Last year, Wisconsin was second behind New York in the total amount of pharmaceutical drugs collected and destroyed, at 19,820 pounds, according to a UWPD statement.
The statement adds UWPD recommends medications be transported in plastic bags and no needles, aerosols or containers will be accepted. All liquids must be in their original containers.
After the medications are collected, Chapin said they are turned over to the DEA to be disposed of appropriately and safely.
UWPD is also working with UW Communications and other Madison media to get the message out about the initiative, Chapin said.
