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unused medications out of the cabinet manner, reducing the likelihood that Program webpage at: https://www.
and the trash. This protects the elderly any drugs may accidently get into the tn.gov/environment/program-areas/
or children from unintentionally taking hands of children or make their way into opsp-policy-and-sustainable-practices/
a drug they should not, and reduces Tennessee’s waterways. community-programs-and-services/
access and likelihood of opioid-based unwanted-household-pharmaceuticals-
medication being used for recreational Currently, 334 takeback boxes have takeback-program.html. For questions,
purposes. been distributed throughout Tennessee contact Kathy Glapa (kathy.glapa@
Proper Disposal –263 at police stations and 71 at tn.gov).
pharmacies. Takeback boxes can also be
The Tennessee Department of found at campus police stations at the 1 Metformin and Other Pharmaceuticals Widespread
Environment and Conservation (TDEC) University of Memphis, University of in Wadeable Streams of the Southeastern United
Unwanted Household Pharmaceuticals Tennessee at Chattanooga, University States Paul M. Bradley, Celeste A. Journey, Daniel
Takeback Program started as a pilot with of Tennessee at Martin, University T. Button, Daren M. Carlisle, Jimmy M. Clark,
the Knoxville Police Department in 2011. of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tennessee Barbara J. Mahler, Naomi Nakagaki, Sharon L. Qi,
After a successful one-year pilot, the state Technological University and Austin Ian R. Waite, and Peter C. VanMetre Environmental
set a goal to expand the program to all 95 Peay State University. Science & Technology Letters 2016 3 (6), 243-249
counties. DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00170
Items accepted in these takeback 2 Donn, J, Mendoza, M. and Pritchard, J.
Since 2016, the program has provided boxes include liquid medications, “Pharmaceuticals found lurking in U.S. drinking
drug takeback boxes to law enforcement medicated ointments, lotions, or drops, water.” Associated Press. March, 2008.
facilities and pharmacies throughout pills in any packaging, over-the-counter 3 Kidd KA, Blanchfield PJ, Mills KH et al. Collapse
the state. The program also facilitates medications, and pet medications. Since of a fish population after exposure to a synthetic
educational information to citizens and 2011, the program has collected over estrogen. Proceedings of the National Academy of
law enforcement officials regarding the 375,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals, with Sciences USA 2007; 104:8897–8901.
safe disposal of collected items. the program collecting 85,900 pounds of 4 Masoner J.R., Kolpin D.W., Furlong E.T., Cozzarelli
pharmaceuticals in 2018. I.M., Grayc J.L., Schwabc E.A. (2014, Oct 1).
Prescription drug takeback boxes “Contaminants of emerging concern in fresh
provide a secure place where unused Help protect our waterways and leachate from landfills in the conterminous United
or expired prescription drugs can be combat the opioid epidemic by properly States.” Environmental Science: Processes and
safely disposed. These permanent boxes disposing of your unwanted and expired Impacts 10.
ensure prescription and over-the- pharmaceutical drugs. You can find a 5 https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/
counter medications are disposed of takeback box near you by visiting the statedeaths.html
in a safe and environmentally-friendly Unwanted Household Pharmaceuticals 6 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
SAMSHA: www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/
NSDUH-FFR2-2015/NSDUH-FFR2-2015.htm
View online at tnpublicworks.com 17
