On September 27, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) will coordinate the ninth National Pharmaceutical Take Back
Initiative (NTBI IX). NTBI IX is a continuation of the collaborative efforts with state and local law enforcement agencies focused on removing potentially dangerous pharmaceutical controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets.
This one-day effort will continue to bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.
During the NTBI held last April, a total of 780158 pounds (390 tons) of prescription medications were collected nationally from members of the public at more than 6072 locations that were available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
Last April, Wisconsin residents turned in approximately 25.3 tons (50,485 lbs) of expired, unused or unwanted prescription medications at 200 collection locations statewide.
Over 173 Wisconsin law enforcement organizations participated in this effort.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day goal is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
Shortly after DEA’s first Take-Back Day event four years ago, Congress passed, and
President Obama signed, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), allowing DEA to develop permanent, ongoing, and responsible methods for disposal. Prior to the passage of the Disposal Act, the CSA provided no legal means for transferring possession of controlled substance medications from users to other individuals for disposal. On December 21, 2012, DEA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Disposal of
Controlled Substances. These regulations would implement the Secure and Responsible
Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-273) by expanding the options available to collect
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controlled substances from ultimate users for purposes of disposal to include: Take-back events, mail-back programs, and collection receptacle locations. However, until these regulations become permanent, DEA will continue to hold Take-Back Days.
For more information in the proposed rule, Public Meeting on Drug Disposal, and comments from the public on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), you can go to www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov; click on the Got Drugs icon; then click on the Drug
Disposal Information icon.
Collection efforts may be combined with community drug awareness activities and involve the distribution of brochures and other information.
Participants may get additional information on the program along with DEA News
Releases at the DEA Diversion website: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov and click on the
“GOT DRUGS?” icon. Click on the Partnership Toolbox icon. The Partnership Toolbox is available to law enforcement partners to download posters, handouts, web buttons and other graphics to promote National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in your area.
To participate in the program, agencies must register with DEA in advance and agree to the below protocols. Attached is a registration form that can be e-mailed or faxed to the DEA Milwaukee District Office. If the agency is hosting more than one location, please attach a separate sheet to the registration form with the additional location information.
On Saturday, September 27, 2014, participating state and local law enforcement agencies can host one or more collection sites at locations of their choosing. Locations should be selected that provide easy public access and available parking.
Controlled, non-controlled, and over-the-counter substances may be collected. The general public is often unaware of the distinction in medication status.
This program is anonymous and all efforts should be made to protect the anonymity of individuals disposing of medications. No questions or requests for identification should be made.
Participants may dispose of solid, non-liquid medication(s) by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into a disposal box. Blister packages are acceptable without the medications being removed. Disposal boxes are available at
no cost from the DEA Milwaukee District Office upon request. We strongly prefer that
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you request and utilize the boxes we provide in order to SAFELY facilitate the
processing, transportation, and disposal of the surrendered medications. The boxes are 17 ¼” x 11” x 10” and can hold up to 50lbs. Boxes are free and may be requested on the registration form.
For Wisconsin participants, liquids will continue be accepted during this initiative.
However, the liquids must be in their original packaging and evenly distributed within the boxes of collected solid prescription medications. Liquids without the original packaging will not be accepted .
Additionally, inhalers and needles/sharps will not be accepted.
Note: In October 2013, several non-DEA furnished boxes contained liquids in glass bottles that were not packaged with other surrendered solid prescription medications.
During the transportation, loading, and unloading process, these glass bottles broke and soaked through the boxes, causing a safety/health hazard to DEA and National Guard personnel. Please take the time to package, handle, and secure any liquids in glass bottles appropriately so as to insure that they can be transported and loaded/unloaded safely without breakage.
No effort should be made by law enforcement personnel to count, inventory, or log medications.
Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers. If an individual attempts to surrender an illicit controlled substance, law enforcement personnel should handle such material as abandoned property in accordance with department policy.
All participants must retain possession of their own medication during the surrender process. Law enforcement personnel should not handle the medications at any time.
A law enforcement officer must remain with the drug disposal box at all times.
Collected pharmaceutical products should be handled as drug evidence with law enforcement custody to safe-guard the surrendered material.
At the conclusion of the event, a law enforcement officer will seal the drug disposal boxes in accordance with your agency's policy and procedure. It is recommended that the box be sealed with tamper-evident tape or evidence sticker. Each box should be labeled as "Miscellaneous Pharmaceuticals to be turned over to DEA."
The drug collection boxes should then be returned to your police department and stored per your department's standard operating procedures for safe keeping and temporary storage, until they are turned over to DEA.
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It is the responsibility of the participating agency to drop-off the collected pharmaceuticals to one of six designated regional collection sites.
For most of the drop-off locations, the drop-off date and time will be on Monday,
September 29, 2014 between the hours of 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
However, the date and hours for the Northwest (Spooner) drop-off point only will be
Sunday, September 28, 2014 between 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
In addition, the date/time for the Southwest location (DeForest) will be Monday,
September 29, 2014, between the hours of 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
Collected pharmaceuticals must be physically delivered to the site by law enforcement personnel and will not be accepted from a delivery service (i.e. – FedEx). Once the collection boxes are surrendered at one of the designated drop-off sites, DEA will assume responsibility for properly destroying the surrendered pharmaceuticals.
The regional collection sites are:
LOCATION DROP-OFF DATE/TIME
Northeastern Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Patrol
851 S. Rolling Meadows Drive
P.O. Box 984
Fond du Lac, WI 54936-0984
Central Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Patrol
2805 Martin Ave.
Wausau, WI 54401-7172
Monday, September 29
10:00am – 1:00pm
Monday, September 29
10:00am – 1:00pm
Southwest Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Patrol
911 W. North Street
DeForest, WI 53532-1971
West Central Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Patrol
5005 STH 53 South
Eau Claire, WI 54701-8846
Monday, September 29
2:00pm-5:00pm
Monday, September 29
10:00am – 1:00pm
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Northwest Wisconsin
Wisconsin State Patrol
7102 Green Valley Road
Spooner, WI 54801
Milwaukee Area
DEA Milwaukee District Office
4725 W. Electric Avenue
West Milwaukee, WI 53219
Sunday, September 28
10:00am-1:00pm
Monday, September 29
8:30am-5:00pm
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