WYOMING, MI, September 20, 2012
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Thinking about flushing your unused medications down the toilet? Don't. Metro Health Hospital can help you get rid of them safely on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Metro Health will once again participate in National Drug Take Back Day, which is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., area residents will be able to return unused prescriptions to the Granger Green common area of Metro Health's campus. A pharmacist will be available throughout the event to answer questions about medications.
The Wyoming Police Department will be on hand to anonymously accept all prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked.
Growing concern over pharmaceutical pollution in waterways and prescription drug abuse has led cities across the nation to develop drug take back programs. The West Michigan Take Back Meds program is a joint effort between local pharmacies, law enforcement, wastewater treatment facilities and government agencies to provide residents with safe, convenient access to proper medicine disposal. Medications collected in West Michigan are transported to Kent County's Waste to Energy Facility where they are incinerated.
According to the West Michigan Take Back Meds website, 20-60 percent of prescription medications go unused and are eventually disposed. A 2002 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids and reproductive hormones. To find out more about the program visit, http://www.wmtakebackmeds.com.
About Metro Health Hospital
An award-winning leader in community healthcare, Metro Health Hospital serves more than 250,000 patients annually from across West Michigan - and beyond. The 208-bed hospital provides a comprehensive suite of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, including the fastest emergency department in the region, cancer and cardiac care, robotic and traditional surgery, family practice, sports medicine and others. The LEED-certified hospital - one of the first in the nation - sits at the heart of the 170-acre Metro Health Village, a community of support services and retail. The hospital is committed to promoting health and wellness through the work of its foundation, the Metro Health Farm Market, ongoing classes and educational programs. Visit us online at http://www.metrohealth.net. Follow us on Twitter @MetroHealthGr and like us on Facebook/MetroHealth.
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Contact: Ellen Bristol
Metro Health Hospital, 616.252.5033
or
Mary Ann Sabo
Sabo Public Relations, 616.485.1432
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