If you've got old prescription medications lying around and you want to keep them out of the wrong hands and out of our water system (you should never flush them), bring them by the Temple Police Department on Saturday, October 26.

Temple PD is participating in the 2019 DEA National Take Back Day, which, according to the DEA website, "[A]aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications."

That last part is important. Having old medications around could lead to accidental poisoning if you confuse old meds with new ones, or if children or pets get ahold of them. There's also the potential for abuse by children or adults looking to use the meds recreationally or resell them.

As I mentioned above, it's also not a good idea to flush old medications. Our waste water treatment facilities aren't designed to clean many of these substances out of our water, and those substances can also affect the water quality of our lakes and the animals that inhabit it.

To safely dispose of your old pills, take them by the Temple Police Department at 209 E Avenue A Saturday, October 26 between 10 AM and 2 PM.

If you can't make it out that day, keep in mind that there's a prescription drug reclamation bin in the lobby of the police department that you can use any time.

Note: They won't be accepting liquid or over the counter medications. When it comes to disposing of liquid medications, the FDA recommends mixing it in a plastic bag with kitty litter, coffee grounds, or dirt, then disposing of it in the trash.

Get our free mobile app

More From KUSJ-FM