McMinnville Police Department has a new addition to its front lobby with the installation of a drug disposal container that will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for individuals who have medicine they no longer want.
“We have been wanting a disposal bin and we finally got one,” said McMinnville Police Investigator Capt. Derwin Adcock. “We put in an application about a year and a half ago. We received the bin yesterday. We placed it in the front lobby so it would be accessible day and night.”
The container was given to the department by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. It is not appropriate for all items. Adcock says there is a list on the outside of the container reminding people of what can be placed inside and what cannot.
Acceptable items: prescription medications, all over-the-counter medications, pet medications, medicated ointment, lotions or drops, liquid medications in leak-proof containers, inhalers, pills in any packaging, including glass, plastic or Ziploc bags or foil.
Not acceptable items: illegal drugs and narcotics, needles or syringes with needles, blood sugar equipment, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, or personal care products, such as shampoo, lotions, etc.
The container is a continuance of the department’s effort to remove unwanted medication from the community and dispose of it properly. Since 2009, the department has held Drug Disposal Days twice a year in conjunction with the District Attorney’s office, 31th Judicial District Drug Court and Warren County High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club. During the events, individuals can anonymously drop off medications to the department for disposal.
The container, much like Drug Disposal Days, is 100 percent anonymous. It is recommended the medication be in its original container, if possible. The name and address need to be marked out. However, do not cross out the name of the medication.
“If you forget to mark out your name, we will do that before we dispose of it,” said Adcock. “This service is completely anonymous. No one’s going to ask you any questions about who you are or what you are dropping off. This is a service to the community we hope people use. If they can’t make it here on disposal day, drop it off in this bin. We check the bin daily. If you don’t want to use the bin, our next Drug Disposal Day is Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
McMinnville Police Department is located at 204 Red Road in Red Road Business Park. The drug disposal container is located inside the front doors in a small entrance lobby. For more information, call 473-3808.