Prescription Drug Take-back in Homewood on October 22nd

On Saturday, October 22nd from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm the Cook County Department of Environmental Control and Village of Homewood is sponsoring a free Prescription Drug Take-back program. This event is a low-cost, high-value opportunity to tackle a critical environmental issue. The EPA has asked people not to flush old medications, as trace elements have been found in groundwater. Each year, close to 5,000 tons of pharmaceutical and personal care products enter the waste stream. Many survive water treatment processes and end up in drinking water. Medicines improperly disposed of end up in landfills, leading to the potential of accidental overdose by animals and humans. Residents can drop off unused medications at Homewood's French Market, 2020 Chestnut Road in Homewood. This one-day collection event is sponsored by the Cook County Dept. of Environmental Control and the Village of Homewood. For more information, contact the Village of Homewood at 708-206-3393 or Cook County Environmental Control at 1-312-603-8217. Residents should bring only medication items—not items from businesses or doctors’ offices. To ensure anonymity and security, people are asked to black-out all prescription label information. Take prescriptions to the drop off center ONLY during event hours. Acceptable items include: Prescriptions Over the counter medications Medicated ointments and shampoos Liquids containing medication Prescription and over the counter inhalers Glass thermometers and other instruments that contain mercury Unacceptable items include: DEA controlled substances Narcotics Illegal drugs Sharps or needles Bio-hazardous materials Radioactive materials Other toxic household wastes For more information, contact the Village of Homewood at 708-206-3393 or Cook County Environmental Control at 1312-603-8217.