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Medication disposal event planned to protect public health

medication disposal

WVU’s Office of Health Promotion and Wellness and University Police Department will host a medication disposal event Friday (Nov. 20) and Saturday (Nov. 21).

On Friday, the campus community is invited to stop by the Mountainlair (near Hatfield’s) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to safely dispose of unwanted medications. On Saturday, residence hall students living on the Evansdale campus are encouraged to leave unwanted medications at the MedSafe kiosk under the Towers canopy from noon to 4 p.m.

The Office of Health Promotion and Wellness recently purchased a 38-gallon medication disposal kiosk.

“With this medication disposal system, we can safety accept prescription medications, over the counter medications, and liquid medication bottles less than 4 ounces,” said Tara Hulsey, vice president of health promotion and wellness. “These events are opportunities to get rid of medicines so we can keep pills from becoming dangerous over the holiday break,” said University Police Captain Sherry St. Clair. 

In addition to protecting human health, recent studies suggest that flushing medicine down a toilet or drain threatens the health of marine ecosystems. 

According to Stephanie Toothman, conservation specialist, “Participating in a drug take back program is the best way to ensure an environmentally safe disposal process.”

While the kiosk will be at the Lair on Friday and Towers on Saturday, the kiosk’s permanent location is in the University Police Department’s lobby at 992 Elmer Prince Drive, Morgantown. 

“Having the kiosk at the Police Department allows the community to dispose of unused medicines when it’s convenient. The Police Department is open 24-hours a day, year-round, with free visitor parking,” said Amy Sidwell, program director of the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness.