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Politics & Government

This Kind of Drug Drop Off is a Good Thing

People were able to safely dispose of their unused and expired medications in Pleasanton at the Prescription Drug Collection event.

Usually finding a few hundred pounds of drugs in town would mean a drug bust went down, but over the weekend in Pleasanton it was a good thing.

The City of PleasantonDublin San Ramon Services District and Zone 7 Water Agency were collecting prescription drugs Saturday at the Alameda County Fairgrounds to make sure they would be properly destroyed.

The goal was to collect unused and expired pharmaceutical drugs, both over-the-counter and prescription, to prevent unused drugs from entering the water system, and to keep excess of medication away from children and teens.

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All pharmaceuticals collected will be burned, with the exception of sharps and aerosols, such as inhalers. Those will be sent to Alameda County Environmental Health’s Household and Small Business Hazardous Waste Collection Program for proper disposal.

“People are very happy to have the opportunity to make sure their meds are being disposed of properly and not having to flush them down the toilet,” said Craig Higgins, Assistant Director of Operations for the City of Pleasanton. “It’s just the right thing to do for the community.”

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When pharmaceuticals are flushed down toilets or poured down the sink chemicals can be released into the water, affecting fish and other wildlife.

This is the second year the city has hosted a Prescription Drug Collection day, and plans to do it annually. Last year 500 pounds of pharmaceuticals was collected.

This year, more than 400 pounds was collected before the event even ended, with cars continually stopping by to drop off bags of drugs.

“We’ll take any drugs,” Higgins said. “We don’t ask if they are legal or illegal, we just ask if there are aerosols or sharps.”

There is also a police officer on site, as part of a Drug Enforcement Administration requirement to make sure all of the pharmaceuticals collected are properly handled and secured until they are picked up and destroyed.

If you missed the event but would still like to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, you can do so at Pleasanton Custom Care Pharmacy (4271 First St., Pleasanton) or San Ramon Custom Care Pharmacy  (124 Market Place, San Ramon).

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