Do you have unused or expired medications in your medicine cabinet? Pharmaceutical drugs can be safely disposed of in the special collection bin located at the Mentor Police Department at 8500 Civic Center Blvd. Items collected include prescription and non-prescription drugs including unwanted and expired prescriptions, cold/flu medications, pain relievers, pet medications, vitamins, creams, cough syrups, pills and prescription pain killers. Remove, or black out the personal information printed on the pharmacy labels but leave the medicines in their original package or container. Absolutely no needles or syringes are permitted in these bins.
Never dispose of drugs by pouring them down the drain or flushing them down the toilet. Waste-water treatment plants and septic systems are not designed to remove these contaminants, and drug residue has been found in our rivers, streams and ground water. This endangers the fish population and can cause contamination of our drinking water.
The other reason to dispose of unused medication is public safety. Nearly 7 million Americans are abusing controlled prescription drugs. Removing prescription painkillers from the medicine cabinet will help to reduce the chances of drug abuse and accidental misuse.
The Lake County Drug Collection and Disposal Program was made possible by a grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund through the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. The monies for the Lake Erie Protection Fund are supported by the citizens of Ohio through their purchase of the Lake Erie license plate.
Besides the Mentor Police Department, other Drug Disposal bin locations include: The Eastlake Police Department, Madison Township Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Willoughby Police Department, Willoughby Hills Police Department and Lakeland Community College Police Department.
Drop off hours are weekdays 7 AM to 8 PM, Saturdays 9 AM to 5 PM and Sundays 1 to 5 PM (please note there are no Sunday drop off hours at Lakeland.)
If you have questions about the program, call the Lake County General Health District at (440) 350-2543.