Medication Disposal Days

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Cobb County’s Medication Disposal days provide a safe method for residents to destroy their expired and leftover pharmaceuticals. Instead of forcing residents to make an ill-advised choice between throwing these drugs in the trash or flushing them into the community water system, this program allows people to dispose of these potentially hazardous substances responsibly. County officials, with the assistance of a local health care facility and police, collected more than 3,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies during just two drop-off events this past year. The items were placed in an incinerator for 12 hours, not only destroying the drugs, but also preventing any toxic emissions from being released into the air. The program has the additional benefit of removing the potential for these drugs to be stolen or used illegally as well. The Medication Disposal Days program, which does not charge a fee to its participants, is the first of its type in Georgia. It presents a simple, voluntary solution to a lingering problem, thus helping everyone in the community and educating residents about a hazard many did not know existed.