Police asking people to dispose of prescription drugs safely

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A number of groups are urging you to take the time today to go through your old prescription drugs.

Police says it’s a safety issue, while the regional district says it’s about Mother Earth.

BC teens are at higher risk of abusing prescription drugs, 7.5 per cent according to one study, more than two points higher than the Canadian average.

That’s one reason police want you to safely dispose of medications.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, who chairs the regional district’s Zero Waste Committee, says it can be a problem for landfills and sewage treatment plants. “When you get any kind of amounts of those medications, either they go into the landfills, the transfer stations, or they go into the sewage treatment plants, they really can cause pollution.”

“Pharmaceuticals have in fact been banned from the regional landfills for about the last 15 years, so that shows you the importance of it,” he adds.

Police forces throughout the Lower Mainland and across the country have organized a number of drop-off locations for the day.

Drop-Off Locations:

VPD Public Service Counter
2120 Cambie Street

VPD Public Service Counter
3585 Graveley Street

West End Community Centre – parking lot (drive-through)
870 Denman Street

Britannia Community Centre – parking lot (drive-through)
1661 Napier Street

Kensington Community Centre – parking lot (drive-through)
5175 Dumfries Street

Kerrisdale Community Centre – parking lot (drive-through)
5851 West Boulevard

Local pharmacies

What Drugs are Accepted

• expired, unwanted or unused medication

• over the counter medication

• narcotics

• vitamins

• pet medication

• inhalers

• unopened epi-pens

• liquid medication (in a container or bag)

• medication samples

What is Not Accepted

• needles, lancets, syringes

•  thermometers

• IV bags

• bloody or infectious waste

•  trash

• mail