National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Scheduled Saturday in Grand Junction Area

Area law enforcement agencies will once again participate in the bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which is scheduled for this Saturday, October 26.

The Grand Junction Police Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Palisade Police Department, and the Fruita Police Department, has scheduled the event from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday.

On National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, local law enforcement and the DEA will collect potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Unused and unwanted prescription drugs can be dropped off at the following locations: Grand Junction Police Department at 6th Street and Ute Avenue in Grand Junction; Fruita Police Department at 157 South Mesa Street in Fruita; Palisade Town Hall at 175 East Third Street in Palisade; and the Mesa County Sheriff’s office at 215 Rice Street in Grand Junction.

Items that cannot be accepted at the Take Back Program include needles and sharps, mercury (thermometers), oxygen containers, chemotherapy/radioactive substances, pressurized canisters, and illicit drugs.

Although the Take Back Program cannot accept some items, the Mesa County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility has the ability to accept at least part of the list. The facility will take needles and sharps, over the counter medications, pressurized or aerosol and mercury containing items. The Mesa County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

The Mesa County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility can be reached directly at (970) 257-9336 or (970) 256-9543.