Here’s How to Dispose of Your Old Medications Safely
new medication drop box available 24/7 to keep unused and expired drugs from being misused
Helping fight the opioid epidemic in the Chippewa Valley can be as easy as paying a visit to the Eau Claire County Government Center any time of day or night.
Inside the Eau Claire County Jail lobby you’ll find a new medication drop box where you can safely dispose of prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements, and even pet medications. Using it is a simple yet important way to keep these substances from being misused, especially considering an estimated 70% of people who misuse prescription opioids first get them from someone they know.
“You just walk in, drop off your medications, and then you leave,” explained Sarah Dillivan-Pospisil, Public Health Specialist with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department. “There’s no questions, it’s free, and it’s anonymous. There’s plenty of public parking close by. We think disposing of those old prescriptions or over-the-counter meds should be as easy as running any other errand.”
In addition to installing the new drug-disposal box, local officials have created a video to show how easy it is to get rid of old meds. The video is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong at bit.ly/dropboxECjail.
Proper disposal of potentially dangerous substances is critical, officials said. “When you keep unused medication in your medicine cabinet or bathroom closet, it means other people, kids, or pets are more likely to find and misuse it – which could lead to an overdose or accidental poisoning,” Dillivan-Pospisil said. “Disposing of your medication could help save a life.”
The new medication drop box is in the lobby of the Eau Claire County Jail (710 Second Ave., Eau Claire), which can be easily entered between 8am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday. During other hours, visitors just need to press a button at the jail’s main entrance to be buzzed inside. The box is located next to a harm reduction vending machine, which dispenses fentanyl test strips and free Narcan nasal spray, which can reverse the effect of an opioid overdose.
“When you keep unused medication in your medicine cabinet or bathroom closet, it means other people, kids, or pets are more likely to find and misuse it – which could lead to an overdose or accidental poisoning.”
The drop box was made possible by a $350,000 Opioid Abatement Effort by Law Enforcement grant from the Wisconsin Department of Human Services. The grant was received after years of collaboration among the Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, Human Services, Criminal Justice, and the City-County Health Department, said Eau Claire County Sheriff Dave Riewestahl.
“Eau Claire County is proud to participate in a variety of cutting-edge initiatives,” Sheriff Riewestahl said. “We are one of only a handful of counties nationwide and within the state of Wisconsin selected to implement programs and establish new pathways and learning in criminal justice reform.”
Sheriff Riewestahl said that encouraging proper medication disposal not only improves public safety and prevents misuse but also protects the environment and builds community trust.
In surveys, Eau Claire County residents identify drug use as one of the community’s top health priorities, said the health department’s Dillivan-Pospisil. Nationally, it is estimated that 80% of people who use heroin began by misusing prescription opioids first, she said.
Between 2018 and 2022, 82 people died of drug overdoses in the county, and 62 of these deaths were opioid-related. During the same period, more than 488 suspected nonfatal opioid overdoses occurred in the county.
“Addiction doesn’t discriminate,” Dillivan-Pospisil said. “It can impact all kinds of people in a community – individuals, families, friends, neighbors, and more.”
And misuse can happen even among our youngest neighbors. According to a 2021 survey, 8% of Eau Claire County high school students who were surveyed said they had misused a prescription pain medication, and 5% had done so in the past 30 days.
While many types of medications can be disposed of in the new drop box, certain specific types that are not allowed: People should NOT use the drop box to dispose of needles, inhalers, aerosol cans, thermometers, or liquid medications.
The new drop box is one of 10 permanent drop boxes around Eau Claire County, including at Altoona Emergency Services, Augusta City Hall, Fall Creek Village Hall, CVS Pharmacy, Hy-Vee, Marshfield Medical Center – Eau Claire Medical, Mayo Clinic Health System, and Walgreens. Find drop-off location by visiting www.echealthalliance.org/resources and scrolling to “Drug take-back locations in Eau Claire County.”
In addition, twice a year – in the spring and fall – local officials host National Prescription Drug Take-Back events to give residents other opportunities to safely dispose of unused or expired medications. At these events, people are able to drop off certain kinds of products that might not be accepted at permanent drop boxes, including liquid medications and creams.
All these programs like the new drop box have a huge impact. Since 2012, community members have safely disposed of nearly 42,000 pounds of medications at drop boxes and take-back events in Eau Claire County. That’s about 21 tons of medication, or roughly the weight of eight mid-sized pickup trucks!
“This (new drop box) allows for responsible disposal, which contributes to a safer and healthier environment for us all,” Sheriff Riewestahl said.
24/7 Medication Drop Box
E.C. County Jail lobby, 710 Second Ave., Eau Claire
