Monday October 5, 2009

Free Drop-Off Sites Available to Louisville Residents

Mayor Jerry Abramson today announced details of the city’s sixth “Drug Toss” that helps local residents properly dispose of expired or unused pharmaceuticals. Three disposal sites will accept medications Oct. 8-10.

“I hope residents will take advantage of this free service, especially our senior citizens,” Abramson said. “These medications can be dangerous if they fall in to the wrong hands or if they are not disposed of properly.”

Last year, Louisville Metro Police properly disposed of 1,173 pounds of pills and recycled 419 pounds of pill containers.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications should never be flushed down a toilet or drain or thrown in the trash. The medications can contaminate drinking and ground water or release toxic pollutants into the air.

Items accepted in the program include: all expired pharmaceuticals, unsealed syrups, eye drops and nose sprays. Also accepted are medications that should have been refrigerated, bulk or loose tablets and capsules, and unsealed tubes of creams and ointments.

Participants are asked to mark out all personal information on prescription bottles prior to arrival at the sites. Louisville Metro Police narcotics officers will be on hand to take immediate possession of the medications. Solid Waste Management personnel will recycle the containers.

The program is a partnership among Catholic Charities Senior Services, Franciscan Health Care Center, Kentucky Senior Medicare Patrol, Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency, Louisville Metro Solid Waste, Senior Pharmacy Solutions and Louisville Metro TRIAD.

The drug toss will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Disposal dates and locations:

· Thursday, Oct. 8 Our Mother of Sorrows

770 Eastern Parkway

· Friday, Oct. 9 Park Terrace

9700 Stonestreet Rd.

· Saturday, Oct. 10 Middletown Christian Church

500 N. Watterson Trail

For more information about the program visit LouisvilleKy.gov or call MetroCall 311.