Apr 15, 2013 3 min read

National Drug Take-Back Day is set for April 27, with several local police departments participating from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Unused, expired and unwanted medication will be accepted, excluding any type of needles, whether syringes or preloaded pens.

Medications in pill-form, patches, salves and liquid will be accepted at most locations.

Bethel Park Police will not accept liquid medication.

Those bringing medication to any of the drop sites are asked to place the pills, with the exception of liquids, in a plastic bag and. Medications can be co-mingled in the bag. Medication is asked to be removed from the original prescription bottle, so the name of the patient is not included in the collection.

No questions will be asked, even if the medication is illegal.

Bethel Park will have two collection points: Bethel Park Community Center, 5151 Park Ave., and Highmark Direct in the Norman Center II, 1775 N. Highland Road. The Highmark location is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Resources Council. Any questions may be answered by Officer Tom Rigatti at trigatti@bethelparkpolice.net, or by calling 412-831-6800 ext. 104.

• Canonsburg will collect unwanted and unused medication at the Shop ‘N Save on Pike Street.

• Cecil Township will not participate this year, but expects to in the near future. Police recommend all residents wishing to dispose of medication to use the drop-off sites at the Canonsburg location.

• Green Tree police will collect medication in the rear lot of the Green Tree Municipal Center.

• Mt. Lebanon police will collect unwanted medication at the Medical Rescue Team South (ambulance garage) at 315 Cypress Way. Liquid medication will be accepted if in a sealed container

• Peters Township will have three drop-off locations, the McMurray Dairy Bar, and Walgreens Pharmacy and Kmart, both on Washington Road. In addition, a former mailbox is located in the lobby of the police station where medication may be dropped off during regular business hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Since the last national drug collection in September, the drop-off box in the lobby has been emptied six times.

• South Fayette will not participate.

• Upper St. Clair will accept unwanted medication at the police department adjacent to the township building at 1820 McLaughlin Run Road.

Following the April 27 collection, a representative from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration will collect the medications from each site for disposal.

During the collection in September, the DEA collected more than 30,000 pounds of unwanted drugs in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Of that amount, 2,800 pounds were collected in Allegheny County alone.