Community Corner

163 Pounds of Meds Collected in So. Lehigh During Drug Take Back Day

Southern Lehigh area residents disposed of more than 163 pounds of unwanted or expired medication during the seventh National Take Back Day drug collection event Oct. 26.

Southern Lehigh area residents disposed of more than 163 pounds of unwanted or expired medication during the seventh National Take Back Day drug collection event Oct. 26, according to a news release from the Lehigh County Office of the District Attorney.

According to the news release, 5.6 pounds were collected by the Lower Milford Township Police Department, 73 pounds were collected by the Upper Saucon Township Police Department, and 84.5 pounds were collected at the Giant supermarket on Route 309 in Coopersburg.

A total of 2,014 pounds of medications were collected at 17 sites throughout Lehigh County.

"The huge volume clearly shows that residents are aware of the dangers of keeping expired and unused medications in their homes and that they want to dispose of them properly," Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin said.

"I would like to thank all the police departments and state police who participated in the collection, Allentown Health Bureau employees, the DEA, and businesses that hosted collection sites to make the locations convenient for residents," he added. "I also want to thank the public for doing their part to combat the problem of prescription drug abuse and the media and crime watch groups who helped to inform the public of the event and the sites."

DEA personnel collected the boxes that were filled with discarded medications at all the sites and took them to an incinerator where they were burned, the news release indicated.


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