Wilton One of Four Fairfield Co. Towns To Introduce Drop Boxes For Old Medications

HARTFORD, May 31 – The Connecticut Prevention Network, in cooperation with the Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division, local prevention councils, environmental and police departments in the towns of Greenwich, Ridgefield, Wilton,and New Canaan, are collaborating on an effort to help area residents safely dispose of unused, unneeded medications. The Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council (LFCRAC) is the Prevention Network member coordinating this initiative.

“This is the first regional collaboration of its type in Connecticut, and we’re all looking forward to a very successful launch,” Ingrid Gillespie, Director of the Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council said. She and her colleagues have been active participants and co-sponsors of Drug Take Back events in the area for the past three years, and recognize their health and safety benefits.

“Drug Take Back programs do serve a significant need in any community,” John Gadea, Director of Drug Control for the State of Connecticut said. “They provide a safe, secure mechanism for the removal of unused, unwanted medicines that could otherwise be misused or abused, or cause damage to the environment.”

However, unlike Drug Take Back events that happen once or twice a year, the Fairfield County project will make safe disposal of medicines a simple, ongoing option for residents of the participating towns. Discarded medications will be processed as abandoned property and safely incinerated. 

Beginning tomorrow, June 1st, a secure drop box will be placed onsite at local police department headquarters in Greenwich, New Canaan and Ridgefield. Residents may walk in and discard their unneeded medications in the secure drop box at any time; there will be no questions and no forms to complete.  For the Wilton drop box start date, residents can contact the local representative, Wilton Police Lieutenant Stephen J. Brennan, at 203-834-6260. 

“This pilot project will help us to collect data and develop policies to support other communities that are interested in the drop-box model, and provide consistency statewide,” Ingrid Gillespie said.  For more information about the pilot project, please contact Ingrid Gillespie at the Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council, 203-356-1980  x7914.

For more information on this project please contact your local contact:

New Canaan
Sergeant Carol Ogrinc
New Canaan Police Department
Community Relations/Crime Prevention Officer
Ph: 203-594-3500
Email: carol.ogrinc@newcanaanct.gov

Greenwich
Sergeant Mark Zuccerella 
Special Victims Section
Detective Division
Greenwich Police Department
Ph: 203-618-8347

Ridgefield 
Captain Clifford Scharf 
Ridgefield Police Department
76 East Ridge Road
Ridgefield, CT. 06877
Ph: 203-431-2798

Wilton
Lieutenant Stephen J. Brennan
Patrol Commander
Wilton Police Department
240 Danbury Road
Wilton, Connecticut 06897
Ph: 203-834-6260
Email: drugtakeback@wiltonct.org. 

or

Ingrid Gillespie, Director

Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council

Stamford, CT

Email: rac@liberationprograms.org

203-356-1980  x7914