Sara Swanson

Bring Your Drugs to the Big Red Barrel in Celebration of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

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Sgt. Tom Pennington demonstrates the use of the Big Red Barrel. Photo courtesy of Manchester Voices

Sgt. Tom Pennington demonstrates the use of the Big Red Barrel. Photo courtesy of Manchester Voices.

Don’t flush, toss, share, or save for later!

Manchester will celebrate National Prescription Take-Back Day on Saturday, September 27, by urging residents with unwanted prescriptions to make use of the Big Red Barrel located outside of the Sherif Department Office (lower level of the library, 912 City Road). Medication can be dropped off 7 days a week (check below for times.) More information about Manchester's Big Red Barrel and why it is important to turn in unwanted prescriptions can be found HERE.

All medication that is collected will be transported by law enforcement officials and disposed of in an environmentally safe manner. Turning in pharmaceutically-controlled substances like OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet will remove it from the community and keep it from possibly ending up in the hands of kids and teens. Turning in medication like blood pressure pills, birth control, and antidepressants instead of flushing them will keep these drugs out of our water system.

There are three steps:

  1. Bring your unused, expired, or unwanted prescription or over-the-counter pills, in their original containers, to the Sheriff’s Station. They are only able to accept solid medicines and are unable to accept sharps (EpiPens, hypodermics, etc.) or liquids.
  2. Place medications in the plastic bags provided at the drop-off chute located in the hallway at the Sheriff’s Station. Seal the bags and deposit in the chute. Do not place any containers with your personal information in the barrel.
  3. Feel good about doing the right thing to protect our kids, and our environment!

No questions will be asked.

The Manchester Big Red Barrel was funded through the Manchester Wellness Coalition and the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation as part of the Manchester Comprehensive Wellness Plan. The barrel installation, promotion and drug disposal is being done as a collaborative effort among the Chelsea, Dexter and Manchester Wellness Coalitions, the Washtenaw County Health Department, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and the Chelsea Police Department.

Take Back Day Instagram

Editor's Note: This article originally stated that the Big Red Barrel was only available Monday - Friday. It's been corrected to state that it is available 7 days a week at the times shown in the graphic above. 

 

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