7 Tons Of Unused Meds Disposed, Wall Police Say

Across New Jersey this year, more than 7 tons of unused or expired prescription medications were safely disposed of during the most recent “Operation Take Back” initiative, Wall Police said Monday.

Wall Police were among the 5,000 agencies across the country participating in the nationwide program, held in September. Four large garbage bags of unused medications were collected, police said in a release. A weight was unavailable Monday.

Since the program began in 2010, more than 3.4 million pounds of medications have been collected, the release says.

Prescription drug abuse is the nation’s fastest growing drug problem. The “Take Back” events are a useful tool to reducing the diversion and abuse of medications. Keeping medications out of the wrong hands will help keep our families stronger and our communities safer, the release says.

Anyone who wants to dispose of unused prescription drugs at home, the Wall Township Police recommend:

• Never dispose of prescription drugs by flushing them down the toilet.
• Take the prescription drugs out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.
• Put the mixture into a sealable container or  bag and place it in the trash.
• Don’t forget to conceal or remove any personal information on the prescription bottle. Either cover the information with a permanent marker or scratch the label off before disposing.