YARMOUTH — Police departments across Cape Cod will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 24, giving residents an opportunity to safely dispose of unused and expired medications.
The nationwide initiative, organized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, aims to prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for medications to be abused or accidentally ingested. Collection sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Participating Cape Cod Police Departments
According to the DEA’s collection-site listing for October 24, the following Cape Cod police departments are scheduled to participate:
- Barnstable Police Department — 1200 Phinney’s Lane, Hyannis
- Yarmouth Police Department — 340 Higgins Crowell Road, West Yarmouth
- Harwich Police Department — 183 Sisson Road, Harwich
- Brewster Police Department — 631 Harwich Road, Brewster
- Chatham Police Department — 249 George Ryder Road, Chatham
- Eastham Police Department — 2550 State Highway, Eastham
- Wellfleet Police Department — 36 Gross Hill Road, Wellfleet
- Truro Police Department — 344 Route 6, Truro
The program provides a convenient way for residents to clear out medicine cabinets and dispose of medications they no longer need, rather than leaving them in homes where they could pose a risk to children, visitors or others.
Unused prescription medications can also be improperly discarded, potentially contributing to environmental contamination when they enter wastewater systems.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day encourages residents to take an active role in preventing medication misuse and promoting public safety. The initiative is particularly important in addressing the risks associated with the misuse of prescription drugs, including opioids.
Keeping unused medications in the home can create opportunities for accidental poisoning, misuse or theft. Proper disposal helps reduce those risks while ensuring unwanted medications are handled through an appropriate collection program.
