Carlsbad residents can drop off unwanted or expired prescription drugs for free on Saturday, Oct. 24, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
The city is promoting the event as a safe, no-questions-asked way to dispose of medications, including opioids, according to a notice posted on the city's website. The national event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with more than 4,400 collection sites across the country, according to a DEA press release.
The city's notice does not list a specific Saturday collection site in Carlsbad. Residents can search for registered Take Back Day locations near them at DEATakeBack.com.
DEA Administrator Terry Cole said the program has collected more than 20 million pounds of unneeded medications since 2010. "By participating in Take Back Day, you are preventing potentially addictive medications from falling into the wrong hands," Cole said in the press release.
Nationally, the DEA accepts tablets, capsules, patches and liquid medications sealed in their original containers. Pet medications are also welcome, according to the city's notice. The city noted that liquids, needles and syringes cannot be accepted at the local event. Illicit drugs and sharps are also excluded from all Take Back Day sites, the DEA said.
Why it matters locally
Flushing medications down the toilet can send pharmaceutical compounds into the ocean, the city warned. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove those residues, and treated water released into the ocean can harm marine life.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office is also hosting collection sites on Oct. 24 at eight locations across the county, including stations in Encinitas and San Marcos. The service is free and anonymous.
Year-round options
Residents who cannot make it Saturday have other choices. The city maintains a permanent Prescription Drug Drop Box at Carlsbad Police & Fire Headquarters, 2560 Orion Way.
For sharps, including needles, syringes and lancets, the Palomar Transfer Station Recycling Buy Back Center at 5960 El Camino Real accepts them Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sharps must be placed in a puncture-resistant container before drop-off. California law prohibits throwing sharps in the trash.
Republic Services also offers sharps disposal mail-back kits to Carlsbad residents for a small fee. Residents can call 760-332-6464 or email [email protected] for more information.
