New medicine disposal boxes like the one above at the City of The Dalles Police station on Third Street downtown now take a wider range of unwanted medications.
Mark B. Gibson photoTHE DALLES — Disposal of a wide variety of medications has become easier in Wasco and Sherman counties.
Previously, just two locations had drop boxes, one in The Dalles and one in Moro in Sherman County. Now, not only are there more drop box sites — as well as a new mail-in option — but the new drop boxes accept a wider variety of medicines than before.
Julie McAllister-Wynne is the administrative assistant and evidence technician for the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office in Moro, which got the upgraded MED-Project drop box late last year. The new drop box not only takes pills, as before, but now also accepts more types of medications, such as inhalers, unused epi pens, liquids and ointments, she said.
The Dalles Police Department has long had a drug drop box, but it also upgraded to the new MED-Project box last year. Plus, two more drop box locations were added in The Dalles, one at Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s pharmacy, and a second at MCMC’s Celilo Cancer Center.
Also, the new MED-Project program has mailers that people can pick up at three locations in Wasco and Sherman counties and simply put their medicine in and mail them to the disposal site.
The sites that offer the mailers are in Maupin at the Southern Wasco County Library, at the Shaniko Fire Department, and at Grass Valley City Hall.
People can also request free pre-paid, pre-addressed mailers online at to medproject.org/locations/oregon/mail-back-services. Mailback package options are for medicines, inhalers or injectors.
“It will be more beneficial to our community, so I am very excited about that," said McAllister-Wynne. Since its installation last fall it has gotten more use because it accepts more products, she said.
The new MED (Medication, Education and Disposal) Project also doesn’t require her to drive the discarded medications to Salem for disposal anymore. Now she can mail them at no cost.
The previous drop box system was in place for about six years in Moro. “It was wonderful when we got it because it was a great place for people to get rid of medication instead of throwing it in the trash or the toilet,” McAllister-Wynne said.
It’s good for the environment because it keeps medications from ending up in the water supply, and it’s also good for the public because it keeps prescription narcotics from ending up in the wrong hands.
To read more about Oregon’s MED-Project drop box program, visit med-project.org/locations/oregon.
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