The biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is tomorrow, and there are several locations around central Iowa that people can rid their homes of expired and potentially dangerous medications.

One such location is the Perry Hy-Vee, where the Perry Police Department will be on hand from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to gather the drugs for incineration by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn says the take back event is a safer way to dispose of expired prescriptions, particularly when compared to flushing them down a toilet, which could impact the City’s water supply. Vaughn adds, the program is largely intended to keep the drugs out of the wrong hands.

“I think it’s just a great thing, because I know we all have those just lying around, and we don’t know how to dispose of them. If we throw them in the trash, someone else could get ahold of them that doesn’t need them, maybe a younger person or maybe somebody with a substance abuse problem. Same thing if we just have them hanging around our house, you know someone else could get ahold of them that really doesn’t need them or maybe abuse them. So this is just a safe, convenient way to do that. It’s no cost, no questions asked.”

Vaughn points out, they will not accept inhalers or needles, but most other types of drugs are permitted, including pills and patches.