Got Drugs?

 

DEA Heads First-Ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Saturday, September 25, 2010  |  10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Federal officials are  taking a new step to reduce the spread of pharmaceuticals such as pain killers and depression medicine on our environment that cause inter-sex fish in the Potomac River to frog mutations in Wisconsin.  These drugs have turned up in our drinking water and the cumulative effect of these drugs in our waterways isn’t known on humans, but they have already been linked to behavioral and sexual mutations in fish, amphibians and birds, according to EPA studies.

Kudos to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for taking preventative measures to address this issue.

A few general tips on pharmaceutical drug disposal:

·     DO NOT flush old prescription drugs, this goes right back to our waterways and our water pollution control plant can’t remove the drugs.

·     DO wrap them up and place them in your trash bin if you can’t make it to the take-back day drop spots.  Arlington’s trash is taken to the waste to energy facility in Alexandria where it is incinerated to create electricity, rather than the Potomac to create hermaphroditic fish.

As for the take-back event, the DEA and government, community, public health, and law enforcement partners are holding a nationwide prescription drug "take-back" day. On September 25, 2010, collection sites around the country will take any expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for safe, legal, and environmentally friendly disposal.

More information on how to take action on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day:

• Visit the DEA Web site: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/takeback/
• View Collection Sites in Your Local Community
• Fire Station #9 – 1900 S. Walter Reed Drive, Arlington VA 22204
• Fire Station #8 – 4845 Lee Highway, Arlington VA 22207
• Fire Station #1 – 500 S. Glebe, Arlington VA 22207
• DEA                  - 600-700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington VA 22202