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Montanans urged to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs Saturday

Posted at 1:52 PM, Oct 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-26 18:24:07-04
Prescription Pills
(MTN News file photo)

HELENA –Montanans are being asked to take part in Take Back Day on Saturday when folks ring their unwanted prescription pills and patches for free, no-questions-asked disposal.

The event is being held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on October 27 at 36 collection sites across the state.

“We have a record number of participating Take Back Day locations this Saturday, and I encourage all Montanans to visit the site nearest them to dispose of their unused and expired medications,” Attorney General Tim Fox said in a news release.

“Take Back Day offers a convenient way for each of us to properly dispose of our outdated medications while protecting our communities and the environment at the same time,” Fox added.

Cities hosting Take Back events include: Big Timber, Billings, Box Elder, Bozeman, Browning, Butte, Columbus, Crow Agency, Cut Bank, Dillon, Fort Belknap, Gardiner, Glendive, Great Falls, Harlowton, Havre, Helena, Jordan, Lame Deer, Lewistown, Libby, Lincoln, Livingston, Miles City, Missoula, Poplar, Red Lodge, Ronan, Roundup, Superior, West Yellowstone, and Whitefish.  Click here to view the details of each event.

The following items cannot be accepted on Saturday:

  • Illegal drugs
  • chemotherapy drugs
  • needles
  • sharps
  • mercury (thermometers)
  • oxygen containers
  • pressurized canisters
  • radioactive substances.

Nearly 33,000 pounds of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications have been collected at Montana National Take Back Day events since 2010.

Montanans who cannot make it to a Take Back Day event can dispose of their unwanted medications by visiting one of over 50 permanent drug drop box locations across the state.