Somerset County Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano invites county residents to take advantage of an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted or outdated prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.

A special collection will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Bernards Township Public Works Garage, located at 277 S. Maple Ave. in Basking Ridge, N.J. 07920.  The Rx drop-off is being held in conjunction with a scheduled Somerset County Household Hazardous Waste drop-off event.

Medications should be dropped off in their original packages or bottles with personal information, such as name and address removed.  The name of the medication should be visible. Illegal drugs, needles or sharps should not be brought to the drop-off.

“Leftover medicines pose serious safety and health threats and also raise environmental concerns. Prescription-drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States. Among youth, seven of the top 10 abused substances are pharmaceuticals. Additionally, medicines flushed down the drain or toilet can contaminate bodies of water, harm wildlife and end up in drinking-water supplies,” said Sheriff Provenzano.

Additional information on how to dispose of unused medicines is available at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website at www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf

Rx Mission Drive-in/Drop-Off is a medicine-collection program sponsored by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, the Somerset County Solid Waste Management Division and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Residents unable to make the March drop-off may bring medications to any of the future scheduled Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off events on April 27, June 8, Sept. 14 and Oct. 26.  Drop-off events are held at different locations around the county for the convenience of residents. 

County residents also can take advantage of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office medicine collection drop box, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, no questions asked. The drop box is located on the lower level of the Somerset County Administration Building at 20 Grove St., Somerville, N.J. 08876, near the entrance to the Sheriff’s Office.

For more information regarding prescription medicine collection, contact Lieutenant Steve SanAntonio at (908) 231-7168.