On Oct. 26, Champaign County law enforcement agencies participated in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s national Drug Take Back Day, resulting in 146 pounds of unused or expired medication collected locally for disposal.

The Urbana Police Division in partnership with Kroger, the Champaign County Drug Free Youth Coalition, Mary Rutan Hospital and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency collected 37 pounds of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Across the county, the Mechanicsburg Police Department collected 109 pounds from the villages of Mechanicsburg and North Lewisburg.

Those who missed the event can drop off unwanted medications at five local drug drop boxes. They are located at the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy Health-Urbana Hospital (near emergency room entrance), Urbana Police Division, St. Paris Police Department and Mechanicsburg Police Department.

If unable to dispose of medications at a drop box location, or if no disposal instructions are given on the prescription drug labeling, the Drug Enforcement Agency recommends following these simple steps to throw the drugs in the household trash:

– Remove the medicine from its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter.

– Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty bag, or other container to prevent medicine from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.

Do not flush medicines down the sink or toilet unless the prescription drug labeling or patient information that accompanied the medicine specifically instructs you to do so. Please also ensure you are compliant with your community’s laws and regulations prior to taking such action. For more information, visit: www.ccfcfc.org/drug-free-youth-coalition