Dispose of surplus pills on Saturday at the Main Gate
The Seal Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will sponsor a drive-through Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in front of the Main Gate on Seal Beach Boulevard.
LW residents can conveniently and safely dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs by bringing them to the Main Gate. Liquids, needles and sharps cannot be accepted, only pills and patches. People are asked to package pills in plastic or paper bags, as the original containers are bulky and take up a lot of space. The service is free and anonymous.
During the last Take Back Day in April, law enforcement collected 839,543 pounds, or 420, tons of surplus medicines.The annual effort was implemented to address a vital public health and safety issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, flushing medicines down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take Back Day event, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/.
