NASA to host community drug toss at Greenfield Banking Co.

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GREENFIELD — Hancock County residents will have an opportunity to drop off unused or unwanted prescription drugs in a “community drug toss” Saturday, Oct. 26, sponsored by Neighborhoods Against Substance Abuse.

NASA director Tim Retherford said the goal of the event is to encourage people to turn in medications they no longer need, rather than keeping them in their homes where they may be stolen or abused by people they were not prescribed to.

“We’re trying to eliminate all the extra medication that’s not needed in the home,” Retherford said.

Residents can drop off unwanted drugs at the Greenfield Banking Co.’s locations at 1920 N. State Street in Greenfield or 5783 W. U.S. 52 in New Palestine from 9 a.m. to noon. Drugs will be accepted by officers from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and the Greenfield Police Department. People will not need to provide personal information.

After being collected, the drugs will be incinerated in an environmentally safe manner by Indianapolis waste management company Covanta.

“Everything is completely protected; there’s no chance of any of the information on the bottles getting out to any individuals,” Retherford said.

The events, held twice per year, provide an opportunity to safely dispose of unused medication.

Retherford especially urged residents to bring in any prescription pain medications they are no longer taking, as such those that are particularly vulnerable to abuse.

The county also has six permanent drop-off locations for prescription drugs, located at every county police station except for those in Wilkinson and Fortville. These drop-offs, however, do not accept liquid medications or needles and other sharp implements, while the drug toss event will.

NASA asks that needles be brought inside a container that cannot be punctured accidentally; the thick plastic of a laundry detergent bottle is a good example, while milk bottles are typically too thin.

Anecea Woodrow, assistant vice president and marketing director at Greenfield Banking Co., said the bank is happy to be able to provide a safe location for the community drug toss.

“It’s a community service,” Woodrow said.

Retherford said since the organization began holding drug toss events in 2011, nearly seven tons of unwanted prescriptions have been collected.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, which sponsors a national Drug Take Back Day each year, reports that in 2018, 9.9 million Americans misused prescription drugs. A DEA study showed that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

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What: Disposal of unwanted/unused medication

When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 26

Where: Greenfield Banking Co. branches: 1920 N. State St. in Greenfield and 5783 W. U.S. 52 in New Palestine

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