Carbondale police plan to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration on Saturday to collect unwanted prescription medications from residents.

Although no liquids or needles will be accepted, the department will take expired, unused and unwanted prescription between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

The service is free and anonymous. Students and community members can bring pills to the department for disposal at 501 S. Washington St.

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“Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse,” according to a Carbondale police news release. “Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.”

The press release says flushing unused medicine down a toilet or throwing them away “pose potential safety and health hazards.”

Evan Jones can be reached at [email protected] or 618-536-3304.