Fort Lauderdale – The City of Fort Lauderdale is sponsoring its third annual Medication Take Back Event on Sunday, January 27, 2013 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Take Back Event occurs in conjunction with the annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event. Both events will take place at their new location, which is 301 N. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.
During the Medication Take Back Event the City will be accepting unused, unwanted, or expired prescription and non-prescription medications. There is no cost to drop off medications and residents may remain anonymous; however, those dropping off HHW will be required to provide proof of Broward County residency.
City of Fort Lauderdale staff, along with a Fort Lauderdale police officer, will be on site to collect the medications. The medications will then be destroyed and disposed of in a safe, environmentally-friendly manner according to state laws and regulations.
Residents who are unable to attend the event, or who have medications they want to safely dispose of throughout the year may drop them off in the secure collection box in the lobby of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, located at 1300 W. Broward Boulevard. The lobby is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
The City held its first Medication Take Back Event in 2011 to offer a quick, easy, and safe way to dispose of unwanted medications. Since the program’s inception, the City has collected more than 400 pounds of medications. The goal of the annual event is to continue increasing the amount of medications collected, as proper and safe disposal helps prevent prescription drug abuse, as well as accidental overdoses and poisoning of children and pets. It also helps reduce crime and environmental pollution, decreases the amount of waste sent to local landfills, and protects our drinking water supply, local waterways, and native wildlife.
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event is co-sponsored by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Waste and Recycling Services and Partner Cities. It was created to bring hazardous waste disposal services into the community and to provide an additional drop off location for county residents. By offering alternatives for the safe disposal of HHW, the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and surrounding cities, are taking a pro-active role in protecting the environment and preventing these items from ending up in landfills or contaminating water sources and wastewater treatment plants.
For more information about the Medication Take Back and Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events, please visit www.fortlauderdale.gov or contact the City of Fort Lauderdale 24-hour Customer Service Center at (954) 828-8000 or online at www.fortlauderdale.gov/
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