Some 1,600 pounds of unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs were collected here during Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Initiative.
The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, Marshfield Clinic, state Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention participated in this effort. The drugs were dropped off by members of the public at Marshfield Clinic-Eau Claire Center, 2116 Craig Rd., and the collection was turned over to the DOJ for proper disposal.
The collection effort had “the ultimate goal of reducing the amount (of) unneeded, expired and unused prescription drugs being accessible in our community,” according to a press release from Sgt. Travis Holbrook of the Sheriff’s department.
“Although the drug take back event is hosted biannually at the local Marshfield Clinic on Craig Road, we want to remind the community that there are five alternative disposal locations throughout our community that are available throughout the year.” Holbrook said.
These five are the Altoona Emergency Services building, 1904 Spooner Ave.; the Law Enforcement Center lobby at the County Courthouse, 721 Oxford Ave.; the County Jail lobby on the Second Avenue side of the courthouse; the Fall Creek Village Hall, 122 E. Lincoln Ave.; and the Augusta City Hall, 145 W. Lincoln St.
The jail lobby drop-off point is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The other four sites are available on weekdays, with Altoona opening at 7:30 a.m. and the other three at 8 a.m. Altoona and Augusta close at 4 p.m., Fall Creek at 4:30 p.m. and the County Courthouse at 5 p.m.