[Archived] City of Alexandria Participates in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, January 25

For Immediate Release: January 10, 2020

The City of Alexandria encourages residents to safely dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications, including those prescribed by veterinarians, during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. A special collection will take place on January 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., although medications may also be taken year-round to one of the permanent drop box locations in Alexandria listed below.

During Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) will staff the following drop-off sites: 

• First Baptist Church (2932 King St.)

• Police Department (3600 Wheeler Ave.)

• Fire Station 210 (5255 Eisenhower Ave.)

• The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.)

This event is one of four drug take-back days the City holds annually to provide locations for residents to drop off potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs and other medications for safe disposal and destruction. 

The following locations also offer secured permanent drop boxes for medications year-round:

• The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.), available Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Inova Alexandria Hospital (4320 Seminary Road, inside the visitor’s entrance and next to the cashier’s window), available daily 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

• Alexandria Police Department (3600 Wheeler Ave., just inside the entrance), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Please note that no needles are accepted during the upcoming take-back event or at the permanent drop boxes.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on January 25 at 10:30 a.m., during Drug Take Back Day for the newly installed permanent drop box at the Police Department, which will be accessible 24 hours per day.

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse, and opioid prescription drugs are of particular concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 68% of the more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid.

Drugs are also an environmental hazard to waterways and should never be flushed down the toilet. Drug take-back days and permanent drop boxes help support the goals of the Eco-City Alexandria initiative to promote a place where people can live healthier and economically productive lives while reducing their impact on the environment. 

For safe medication disposal at home, follow these steps:

• Check medication bottles for any instructions on proper disposal.

• If none are present, remove medication from its original container. Do not crush tablets or capsules.

• Mix medication with an undesirable, inedible substance, such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds.

• Place mixture in a sealable bag or container and throw away in the trash.

• Black out all personal information on the prescription label so it is unreadable.

More medication disposal details are on the City’s Sanitary Infrastructure page. 

The City collected 1,045 pounds of unused medication at drug take-back day events in 2019, and the Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray drop box has collected 1,020 pounds of medications since it was installed in January 2018.  

For more information about Alexandria’s efforts regarding the opioid crisis, visit alexandriava.gov/Opioids.

For media inquiries, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact maurice.tomdio@alexandriava.gov or 571.384.5244, Virginia Relay 711.