Drug Collection Day Helps Keep Prescription Drugs Off The Street

Municipalities throughout the county hosted a drug take back day on Saturday in hopes of collecting prescription drugs from people who no longer have a use for them.

In total, 46 locations throughout the county were accepting over the counter and prescription solid medications. The collections also accepted liquid medications, pet medications, inhalers, creams, ointments, sprays, and pet medications. Injectables and needles, as well as illicit substances were not accepted.

A Bucks County official said 7,985 pounds of unwanted or expired prescription drugs were collected on Saturday.

“It’s hit or miss. Sometimes it s a lot, sometimes it is very little. Hopefully we will get a lot. We’ll see, who knows,” Sgt. Alan Hankinson from the Bristol Borough Police Department said at the beginning of the collection event.

Carrie Albright, a volunteer working in Bristol Borough with Hankinson, said that the take back program is a good thing, despite this being the first year she has volunteered.

Other locations reported having strong turnouts despite the morning still being young. Bristol Township had a collection station set up in the parking lot of the Levittown Library.

The Levittown Library location collected 23 drops in a half an hour. Carol Becker and Jennifer Dombroski were the volunteers working the take back collection.

“We’re doing pretty well. Most people have heard about it through the paper, and most people don’t know about the permanent drop locations,” explained Becker.

“We tend to do really well at this location. We always get a good number of boxes,” Dombroski added.

The Falls Township Police Department also hosted a drug take back collection. Valerie Hofer, from United Way, was one of the volunteers present at the Falls Township police department collection. According to Hofer, volunteers spent  weeks before the collection advertising and trying to get the word out about the collection.

“Prescription drug abuse is a national concern with local implications. With 70 percent of people who abuse prescription medication getting it from their home or a friend’s home, it’s vital we provide a safe place to dispose of unwanted medication,” Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick said, praising local towns that held collection events.

Thirty permanent medication drop locations exist in the county. Local collection sites include the Bristol Township Police Department, Falls Township Police Department, Langhorne Borough Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Penndel Borough Police Department and Tullytown Borough Police Department.