LIST: Where to turn in unused, expired medication across Hawaii

HONOLULU (KHON2) — “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” is on Saturday, April 30, and officials will have collection points for the public to turn in any unused or expired medication.

The service will be free and anonymous — no questions asked — and people will not be required to remove the labels or pills.

People are asked to toss the medication in a disposable bag and drop them off. For ease and convenience, many of the collection points will be conducted as a drive-thru.

“The National Take Back Initiative began as a way for potentially dangerous medications to be properly disposed of in order to help keep our ohana as well as our environment safe,” said Mike Short, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Honolulu District Office.

Officials said having unused or expired medicine in your home increases the risk of children finding them and ingesting the medication that is not meant for them.

Expired medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet because it can enter the drinking water supply or harm aquatic life.

Tablets, capsules, liquids and other forms of medication will be accepted at the collection points. Vaping devices with batteries can be turned in as well, but batteries must be removed. Syringes will not be accepted.

The collection points will be open on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be located on several islands at these locations:

Oahu

• Fire Station 18 Kailua – 211 Kuulei Rd., Kailua
• Hawaii State Capital – 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu
• Honolulu Police Department: Pearl City Police Station – 1100 Waimano Home Rd., Pearl City
• Kahala Mall – 4211 Waialae Ave., Honolulu
• Schofield Barracks – BLDG 556 344 Heard Ave., Schofield Barracks

Big Island of Hawaii

• Hawaii Police Department: Kona – 74-611 Hale Makai Pl., Kailua-Kona
• Ka Waena Lapa’au medical complex – 670 Ponahawai St., Hilo

Kauai

• Kauai Police Department (main station) – 3990 Kaana St., Lihue

Maui

• Maui Police Department (main station) – 55 Mahalani St., Wailuku
• Kihei Police Station – 2201 Piilani Hwy, Kihei

For those who are unable to attend the NTBI, there is a list of drug take-back dropbox locations available on the Hawaii Opioid Initiative website.