For the Hub City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – On Oct. 26, the Wood County Drug Task Force will hold a prescription drug take-back initiative throughout the county.

The goal of the initiative is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible way for residents to dispose of prescription medications. Unused prescription medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused.

Removing potentially dangerous pharmaceutical substances from our medicine cabinets helps to prevent them from going into our water supply. Water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all of them and trace amounts of pharmaceuticals are showing up in rivers and lakes around the world.

The following locations are participating in the Wood County Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative on Oct. 26: Wisconsin Rapids Pick ‘n Save, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Pittsville Police Department, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Port Edwards Fire Department.11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Marshfield Walmart, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Rome Police Department, 10a.m. – 2 p.m.

Items accepted during the event, include: prescription medications, controlled and non-controlled, and over-the-counter medications, creams, ointments, liquids, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol sprays, vials, and pet medications.

All Wood County law enforcement agencies accept prescription and over-the-counter medications at permanent disposal sites year round. To find a location near you, visit: https://doseofrealitywi.gov/drug-takeback/find-a-take-back-location/

For more information, call 715-421-8715.