Drop off unused, expired medications on April 25

As families are clearing their yards, closets and basements for spring cleaning, one overlooked place shouldn’t be ignored: the medicine cabinet. The Marathon County Medication Assessment Survey reports that 34% of Wausau metro area residents have expired medications in their home. Expired medications can lose potency or, worse yet, fall into the wrong hands. According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, 8% of Marathon County high school students used prescription drugs without a prescription.

To keep your medicine cabinet clutter free and your mind at ease, health experts and law enforcement officials recommend disposing of expired or unneeded medications at a safe location during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25. This day supports the disposal of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications. By safely disposing of prescription medications, we can keep our community safe and protect the environment.

“Drug Take Back Day is about prevention,” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said. “Please help with the fight against addiction by disposing of your unused and unwanted medications at a Drug Take Back event this Saturday or at a permanent drug drop box.”

During the first three months of this year, more than 2.1 million monitored prescription drugs were dispensed in Wisconsin, according to data provided by the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program run by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Service. Ahead of April 25, DOJ and DSPS are spreading awareness about the amount of prescription drugs dispensed in our state, how those drugs are monitored, and how Wisconsinites can help reduce the likelihood of prescription drug misuse by disposing of unwanted and unused medications at a Drug Take Back Day event on Saturday.

Over time, medications can build up in the home, particularly those prescribed for short-term use or purchased over the counter. Keeping them can create safety risks, including accidental ingestion and misuse.

“Once medications expire, they may not be as effective and, in some cases, not as safe to use,” said Marisa Harley, a pharmacy resident with Aspirus Health.

The process of dropping off your medications is quick and easy: put pills in a clear, sealable bag. Keep liquids, creams, powders, and inhalers in their original containers. Then remove all personal information from empty pill bottles and recycle. Finally, deposit pills, liquids, creams and inhalers into a Drug Take Back Drop Box.

Residents can bring their medications to one of the following Drug Take Back Day locations on Saturday, April 25:

• Wausau Police Department, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (515 Grand Ave, Wausau).

• Mountain Bay Metropolitan Police Department, a 24/7 location (211 Grand Ave, Rothschild).

• Kronenwetter Police Department, a 24/7 location (1582 Kronenwetter Dr., Kronenwetter).

• Mosinee Police Department, from 8 a.m. to noon (225 Main St, Mosinee).

Marathon County also offers 16 permanent medication drop boxes year-round for safe disposal. Find a drop box near you by visiting marathoncountysolidwaste.org/pharmaceuticals.