How proper drug disposal keeps our environment and community safe

HEYBURN, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — It’s important to properly dispose of unused prescription drugs and not just throw them away. KMVT spoke with local law enforcement on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to get details about community involvement in this year’s event, and how improper disposal can impact our environment.

“Many people don’t realize the dangers they pose when they have to have surgery and have unused medications – if they have them unsecured in their home,” says Charles Cox.

Charles Cox is a lieutenant with the Hailey Police Department. He says the department has collected just over £7 worth of prescription drugs from the community for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Cox says police have done a good job of engaging the community over the past year to improve drug disposal.

“We have already received almost £200 worth of drugs this year,” says Cox.

More than 2.5 million prescriptions for controlled substances were filled in Idaho in 2023, according to the South Central Public Health District. And if that medicine is left in a cupboard, or thrown away or washed away, it can pose a danger to animals, the environment and people.

“In the past, we have had people take these medications and unfortunately flush them down the toilet, not realizing that it would be a potential contamination of our water treatment plants,” said Ryan Bertalotto.

Ryan Bertalotto is the chief of the Heyburn Police Department. He says this is the second year his department has participated in the event.

“We want to encourage this event even though it’s in Heyburn we’re still part of the central Mini-Cassia community so if you live in Burley, if you live in Declo, Rupert, Paul you’re still welcome to come and deliver these medications,” Bertalotto said.

Other drop-offs available this weekend and throughout the year include the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Gooding Sheriff’s Office and the Kimberly Police Department. Once the substances are collected, law enforcement weighs everything and then ships it to the Drug Enforcement Administration in Jerome.

“We send them back to the DEA and they dispose of them properly, usually through incineration and other processes,” Cox said.

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