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NEW CANAAN, Conn. The following message is from Sgt. Carol Ogrinc of the New Canaan Police Department:
The effort to safely collect and dispose of medications has been undertaken to help reduce the number of individuals who abuse medications and also to provide an environmentally friendly and convenient way in which to dispose of medications. The drop box provides a safe, effective and sustainable way to collect unwanted or expired household prescription, over-the-counter and unused medicines, 24/7.
The drop box is located within the front lobby of the New Canaan Police Department, located at 174 South Ave. Disposal instructions are posted on the front of the box. All medications can be disposed of safely and confidentially. No personal information is collected. Once the container is full, the contents are weighed and then properly disposed of by incineration.
After organizing and participating for two consecutive years in the annual Drug Enforcement Agency medication collection program and realizing the need for a year-round program, Jeff Holland starting making inquiries and traveled to Hartford with State Rep. John Hetherington, where they meet with John Gadea of the state Department of Consumer Protection. In the development of this program, Jeff Holland, EMT, researched and drafted the template for the Medication Collection/Disposal Pilot Program Policy that each participating police department has adopted.
New Canaan is the lead town working with Ingrid Gillespie from the Lower Fairfield Regional Action Plan, who has been instrumental in coordinating the efforts of local and state officials. Through Gillespies efforts, Greenwich, Wilton and Ridgefield are also participating in this first-of-its-kind regional pilot program and have set up similar drop boxes at their police departments.
To date, the New Canaan Police Department has collected 25 pounds from New Canaans Medication Drop Box in two months.
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