New Drug Take Back Boxes Popping Up In Allegheny County

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Taking dangerous and potentially deadly drugs off the street is the aim of some new boxes that'll be popping up in the area.

The boxes allow people to discard old medications so they don't end up in the wrong hands.

"This is one piece of a multi-faceted approach to get a handle on the opioid crisis that we find ourselves in," Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association Executive Director Richard Long said.

They're called "Med Return" boxes and they're popping up at local police stations around the region.

Today, one was unveiled at the Scott Township Police Department.

"There's no questions asked, this is for the public to come up and safely discard their medication to get it out of medicine cabinet so it can't be abused,"

Pennsylvania American Water has sponsored 17 local boxes and says they're a better alternative to flushing your meds.

"The EPA has found trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the source water," Pennsylvania American Water's Gary Lobaugh said. "But it is a part of an overall effort for us to be good stewards of the water supply that we treat and send to your homes"

There are 39 boxes in Allegheny County. Each can collect nearly 40 pounds of discarded medication. That amounts to about 30 tons statewide.

The drug takeback boxes are made possible through partnerships with the PDAA.