PRINT ARTICLE

Print    Close This Window
Police Department Provides Box in Municipal Center to Dispose of Unwanted Medications
Police Department Provides Box in Municipal Center to Dispose of Unwanted Medications The Jefferson Hills Police Department (JHPD) has taken possession of a “medicine drop-off box” that has been installed in the main lobby of the Borough building, just outside the police department. The medicine drop-off box was supplied through a partnership with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys’ Association that provides grants to facilitate the installation of secure and permanent prescription drug drop-off boxes installed throughout Pennsylvania.

The purpose of the box is to allow households and residences to remove expired, unwanted, or unused medicines from their homes to help reduce the chance that others may accidentally take or intentionally misuse the unneeded medicine. Area residents are encouraged to use the box, which is available to drop off medicines during hours that the Borough Building is open to the public or via the rear (2
nd floor) entrance when the library is open for business.

The medicine drop-off box is a blue box that resembles a U.S. Postal mail collection box; affixed to the box is a placard with instructions regarding what is acceptable to be dropped off and what is not.  Once collected, the JHPD will facilitate the disposal of the collected medicines. “Commercial” facilities such doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, veterinary clinics, long-term care facilities and any other businesses are prohibited from using the boxes. With Allegheny County having the second highest overdose rate in the state, having these boxes throughout the County could help reduce the amount of unused medications that can become accessible for potential misuse and overdose situations.