Corewell Health South, formerly Spectrum Health Lakeland, in partnership with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, is providing community members with the opportunity to safely dispose expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs during a National Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 29. Drop off disposal containers will be located on the west side of Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital at 1234 Napier Avenue in St. Joseph. Community members should enter the hospital off Morton Avenue, near the emergency department entrance.
Medications are accepted in their original container or sealed in a Ziploc® bag. This free and anonymous public service is part of the annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“Community members can do their part by turning in unneeded medications and removing them from potential harm; unused prescription drugs are a public safety issue, too often becoming a gateway to addiction,” said Michelle Brow, manager quality improvement, Corewell Health South. “By providing a safe, convenient, and confidential means of disposing of prescription drugs, we are ultimately making our community a safer place to live.”
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department will oversee the collection site and ensure the drugs are disposed of in an appropriate manner. The DEA advises the public not to flush medications down the toilet or throw them in the trash because doing so poses potential safety and environmental health hazards.
During last year’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in October 2021, nearly 5,000 sites across the country collected 744,082 pounds of medications and medical supplies for disposal. Additional collection sites are listed on berriencounty.org
