BUFFALO-Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard announced Thursday his deputies and personnel from Erie County Department of Health secured over forty barrels of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications yesterday.
The barrels were taken to the Covanta Niagara plant in Niagara Falls to be destroyed.
The drugs were collected from twenty-eight drop-off boxes maintained by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and fourteen additional boxes maintained by the Department of Health and local police departments.
Since the inception of the Prescription Drug Drop-Off Program, the Sheriff’s Office and the Health Department have reportedly secured and destroyed close to 20-tons of unwanted medications.
Covanta burns the drugs and generates clean energy for Western New York per Howard. Howard said this process keeps medications out of landfills and prevents the drugs from entering water systems.
Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace told WNYNewsNow his department also has a similar program that they help the Drug Enforcement Agency undertake each year. National Pill Take Back Day, Oct. 28th, is specifically designed to take back the drugs for destruction per Gerace. The destruction is where the DEA comes in.
The sites will be announced soon according to Gerace. He said the event will occur from 10 AM-2 PM.
Gerace added drop boxes are located at the Sheriff’s Office as well as the Silver Creek Village Hall. He said they get drop offs regularly.