(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) encourages Alaskans to participate in National Drug Collection Day Saturday April 28, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration of the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice & the Drug Enforcement Administration, the collection site in Ketchikan will be at the Plaza Mall where unwanted or expired prescription medication can be turned over to the Alaska State Troopers.

National Drug Collection Day was established to protect public health and the environment through safe collection and disposal of unwanted, expired prescription medication. Drug collection reduces the chance of drugs being improperly discarded where they can potentially enter water bodies and harm the environment or human health.

Alaskans participated in two collection days in 2011 and one in 2010. The amount of drugs collected has increased with each event. Statewide totals include:

• 1,336 lbs Sept 2010
• 1,604 lbs April 2011
• 1,877 lbs Oct 2011

“The fact that the amount of collected material continues to increase is a sign that more and more Alaskans are recognizing the danger in simply throwing medications away,” said Environmental Health Director, Kristin Ryan. “Proper medication disposal is important to keep them out of our environment and avoid misuse. We look forward
to another successful event and hope it will continue to catch on.”

Drugs will be collected anonymously. Collection sites will be open across the state and more locations are added every day. (Click here to Locate the Take Back Initiative Collection Sites in your area .

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
www.dec.alaska.gov

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