Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program
Program Overview
To help address the threat unwanted medications and needles
pose to the environment and the community,
Carle RxExpress
and Carle Foundation Hospital are offering the new Carle RxExpress
Medication and Needle Disposal Program. Carle RxExpress' successful
annual Medication Drop-Off Week served as a model for the new,
year-round program.
The goals of the Medication and Needle Disposal Program are
to:
- Decrease accidental consumption of potentially dangerous medications.
- Reduce pollution of local water sources.
- Prevent transmission of blood-borne diseases through improperly
discarded needles.
The Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program is
part of Carle Foundation Hospital's Healthy People. Happy Planet.
initiative, which provides home- and healthcare-related
solutions to help protect the environment.
Medication Disposal
The Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program accepts
prescription and over-the-counter, non-narcotic medications,
inhalers and liquids at three Carle RxExpress locations. Illinois
American Water, a community partner for this program, provided
the medication boxes for the locations at Old Farm Shops and
Carle Foundation Hospital.
Consumers are asked to remove or mark out all personal information
from the prescription containers before taking them to Carle
RxExpress for disposal. Medications are placed in drop boxes
designed like public mailboxes. They are affixed to the wall
or floor, individuals cannot reach into the boxes and they are
emptied regularly by an outside vendor who safely disposes of
the waste in accordance with all local, state and federal regulations.
Needle Disposal
The Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program offers
free, home-use needle boxes. Consumers can pick up a free needle
box from the pharmacy counter during regular business hours
at any of the 10 Carle RxExpress locations throughout east central
Illinois. The boxes allow consumers to safely store used needles
until they're ready for disposal. Full boxes can be exchanged
for new ones, free of charge.
The program is open to all residents; they do not have to fill
prescriptions at Carle RxExpress to participate in the program.
However, only Carle RxExpress take-home needle boxes will be
accepted.
Also as part of this program, Carle Foundation Hospital has
installed individual needle drop boxes in 15 public restrooms
for those who must use medical needles while visiting the Hospital.
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