Community

ECU Health, Operation Medicine Drop collects prescription drugs for disposal

ECU Health, Safe Kids Pitt County, Pitt County Coalition on Substance Use (PCCSU) and Pitt County Sheriff’s Office teamed up to host Operation Medicine Drop, an event where the public can dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications. The event at ECU Health Wellness Center on Tuesday, March 19, collected over 200 pounds of medication to be incinerated.

“Operation Medicine Drop began with Safe Kids and this event a resource for us to protect our waterways because we do not want families to flush medications because it will go into our water systems,” said Ellen Walston, Injury Prevention Program coordinator at ECU Health. “It also was a way to keep children safe. Children are curious. They want to learn the world. They are curious climbers, they will pull a drawer out and step in it to be able to reach whatever they are looking for, so we really want to emphasize safe storage. Up, away and out of sight.”

Operation Medicine Drop serves to protect our children, our community and our waters. More than 67,000 children go to an emergency room for medicine poisoning each year, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide.

ECU Health team members, along with community partners, pose for a photo during Operation Medicine Drop, an event where the public can dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
ECU Health team members, along with community partners, pose for a photo during Operation Medicine Drop, an event where the public can dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.

Operation Medicine Drop offers the public a free and convenient option for disposing of their prescription and over-the-counter medications to protect their families and the environment. Since 2010, Operation Medicine Drop campaigns have successfully incinerated more than 266 million pills collected through permanent drop boxes and more than 4,000 events across North Carolina.

“Medication disposal events are a great way to keep the community safe,” said Lillie Malpass, executive director at PCCSU. “Safe storage and disposal keep these medications out of unintended hands of youth and children. We were really happy to partner with community organizations to provide resources for the community, including lockboxes for medications.”

According to Walston, most local sheriff’s offices and police departments and some fire departments maintain permanent medication drop boxes for those who missed the event.

Operation Medicine Drop is a partnership between Safe Kids North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the State Bureau of Investigation.