Spectrum Health Lakeland

Drug Take Back Day Encourages Disposal of Unwanted Medications

ST. JOSEPH, Mich., April 13, 2022– Spectrum Health Lakeland, in partnership with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, is providing community members with the opportunity to dispose of unused and unwanted prescription drugs during a Drug Take Back Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 near entrance B at the Center for Outpatient Services, located at 3900 Hollywood Road in St. Joseph.

Community members are invited to drive through and dispose of expired prescriptions and other unwanted or unneeded medications. Medications are accepted in original container or dumped in a zip-lock bag. This free and anonymous public service is part of the 22nd annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands,” said Michelle Brow, manager quality improvement, Spectrum Health Lakeland. “By providing a safe, convenient, and confidential means of disposing of prescription drugs, we are ultimately making our community a safer place to live.”

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department will oversee the collection site and ensure the drugs are disposed of in an appropriate manner. The DEA advises the public not to flush medications down the toilet or throw them in the trash because doing so poses potential safety and health hazards.

During the last National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in October 2021, nearly 5,000 sites across the country collected 744,082 pounds of medications and medical supplies for disposal. Additional collection sites are listed on berriencounty.org

# # #

 

   About Spectrum Health Lakeland 

Spectrum Health Lakeland is a not-for-profit, community-owned health system serving Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana with a full continuum of care and wellness services. Lakeland is a division of Spectrum Health comprising 31,000+ team members, 14 hospitals (including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital), a robust network of care facilities, teams of nationally recognized doctors and providers, and the nation’s third-largest provider-sponsored health plan, Priority Health, currently serving over 1 million members across the state of Michigan. People are at the heart of everything we do, and we are focused on our mission: to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. Spectrum Health has a legacy of strong community partnerships, philanthropy, and transparency. Through experience, innovation, and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit spectrumhealthlakeland.org

Contact:
Katie Romero
Communications Specialist
Office: 269.927.5271
Mobile: 269.470.2558
Email: katie.romero@corewellhealth.org