City Collects 500 Pounds Of Prescription Drugs At Take Back Event

NEW BERLIN, WI — The City of New Berlin collected over 500 pounds of prescription drugs on Oct. 23 as part of the Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back, according to a news release from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office.

Altogether, over 5000 pounds of prescription drugs were collected across Waukesha County. New Berlin's collection was one of the largest compared to other municipalities across the County, according to the news release.

The takeback events provide a safe place for the community to dispose of their unused or expired medications while avoiding the consequences of improper disposal, the news release said. Wisconsin's Drug Take Back this year was the largest in the country. Across the state, over 50,000 pounds of prescription drugs were taken in for disposal, the news release said.

Prescription drug take-back sites can be found using this tool online.

Each year, millions of people misuse prescription pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives.

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives that year.

The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.

More than 96,700 people died from opioid-involved overdoses during the 12-month period ending in March 2021, according to provisional estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers guidance on items not accepted during take-back events, including the disposal of sharps and other medical waste. The Food and Drug Administration offers tips on getting rid of liquid medicines that are expired or no longer needed.

Given the ongoing pandemic, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency also have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs without leaving home.