Drug collection bin placed at Public Safety Building

BELVIDERE – Boone County Drug Prevention Coalition is pleased to announce a permanent location for Boone County residents to safely dispose of prescription medicines and to keep them from being abused.

With the help of Boone County Crime Stoppers and the CVS Pharmacy’s Safer Communities grant program, a MedReturn Drug Collection Unit has been installed in the front lobby of the Public Safety Building, located at 615 N. Main St., Belvidere.

The MedReturn Drug Collection Unit will provide residents the ability to dispose of medications 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Medications that can be disposed of include prescription medications, patches, over-the-counter medications, and vitamins. Medications should be either in original containers or in non-leaking containers, such as a sealable plastic bag. Medications are not required to be labeled.

Needles, sharps, liquids (hydrogen peroxide, lotions, and ointments), inhalers, aerosol cans, IV Bags, and thermometers will not be accepted in the disposal unit. Medications brought from nursing homes, clinics, doctor’s offices, or other businesses which distribute medications are also unacceptable.

Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier, Co-Chair of the Coalition commented, “The disposal unit provides residents with a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of unwanted medication. Reducing the amount of unneeded medicine in residents’ homes will help reduce the risk of prescription drug abuse, especially among teenagers.”

The Boone County Drug Prevention Coalition is an organization whose mission is to reduce and prevent local youth from using alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. That mission is carried out through assessment, education, and collaboration with other community organizations in effectively using local resources.