Oct. 27 is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s national Drug Take-Back Day, a day to practice proper disposal of prescription drugs, and in line with the mission, the city of McKinney is offering free and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted medications.

The city, in partnership with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, will be allowing participants to dispose of expired or unused prescription drugs at the Public Safety Building, located at 2200 Taylor Burk Drive, McKinney, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 27.

Event participants may dispose of their medications in the original container or directly into the disposal boxes without a container. The city encourages participants to remove any identifying information from containers before disposal, according to the city’s website.

Accepted pharmaceuticals include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, liquid medications and vitamins. However, hazardous materials such as needles and sharps, mercury thermometers, inhalers, pressurized or oxygen containers, chemotherapy or radioactive substances, and illicit drugs will not be accepted at the event.

According to a Medical City McKinney news statement, unused medications are often improperly disposed of by being thrown into the trash or flushed down sinks and toilets, which has been linked to higher levels of chemicals and hormones in drinking water and streams.



Sally Huggins, Medical City McKinney public relations representative, said that Medical City McKinney installed a DEA-compliant drug take-back receptacle late last week in the main lobby, located at 4500 Medical Center Drive, that will be available for public use all year.

Find information and instructions on how to properly dispose of unaccepted items here.