Grand Rapids Reporter

Residents of East Grand Rapids were able to dispose of unwanted meds during the city’s recent Prescription Drug Take Back Day event.

According to a city news release, the city partnered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to urge residents to get rid of their medications in the lobby of the East Grand Rapids Public Safety Department at 770 Lakeside Drive SE. The partnership allowed the city to collect an array of prescription medicine, which included opioids.

“Properly disposing of prescription medications is critical to the safety of our community and environment,” said East Grand Rapids Public Safety Chief Mark Herald. “By participating in the take back program, we help decrease the chance of medication misuse or abuse and prevent these medications from entering our environment. Residents can safely and anonymously drop off these medications.

Herald added that the service is offered throughout the year, but the spring and fall seasons were significant reminders for people to dispose of medicine properly.

For residents of the city who could not make the event, the Public Safety lobby has a dropbox where prescription medication can be disposed of from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the city.

The release reports that Prescription Drug Take Back Day event will be held in the fall by the East Grand Rapids Public Safety Department with both events taking in roughly 200 pounds of medicine that coincide with National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Last fall, East Grand Rapids was among the 238 collection sites in the state that helped Michigan collect 22,822 pounds of unwanted medicine, according to the city.