UMD Hosts First Medication Take Back Event

DULUTH, Minn. — UMD hosted its first Medication Take Back event Friday to spread awareness on how to properly dispose of your unused or expired meds.

Often when people throw away their medications improperly there are harmful effects that can happen.

That’s why the UMD Police Department teamed up with business school students to host this event. During the event they were able to let people know ways to properly dispose of their meds.

The event was a success, with organizers reporting around 60 pounds of medications were dropped off. The meds will then be properly disposed of by the UMD Police Department who will bring them to Wisconsin for incineration.

“When medications get flushed down the toilet or if you’re using a cream and it goes you go take a shower all those trace elements get put into our water supply and it’s actually detectable. So, we’re trying to steer away from that and where it can affect our wildlife if you’re eating fish then you might get those effects as well,” explained Julia Lee, UMD student and organizer of the event.

UMD hopes to host a medication take back event annually. For those who couldn’t make it Friday, you can drop your unused or un-needed medications off at your local pharmacy, the Duluth Police Department, or at the Western Lake Superior Sanitation District office.