The Drug Enforcement Administration has scheduled Prescription Drug Take Back Day for Saturday, Oct. 28.

This is an opportunity for people to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

Mercy Health has drop boxes throughout the year at the following locations:

Urbana Hospital, 904 Scioto St., Urbana – 24 hours every day

Springfield Regional Medical Center, 100 Medical Center Drive, Springfield – 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays

The staff at the front desk can direct people to the drop boxes.

“Accepting unwanted medications in our secure and conveniently located drop boxes is one way that Mercy Health is addressing this vital public safety and public health issue and ensuring proper disposal of these drugs,” said Matt Caldwell, president and CEO, Mercy Health – Springfield. “Our community can help prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths by returning unwanted, expired and unused prescription drugs to secure drop boxes.”

The DEA notes that the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study showed that people obtained a majority of abused prescription drugs from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

The DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds of pills over the course of 13 previous Take Back events.