LaSalle County leads the way in drop off sites for unwanted medicine

Posted February 26th, 2010 in Education, Healthy Waters, News

In Peru, Illinois, a prescription drug drop-box is now available to the public in the lobby of the police station. There, people can drop off unused and unwanted prescription medication. The box is part of the La Salle County’s Prescription Drug Disposal Program, also known as P2D2.

Drop off boxes are also on-site at state police headquarters in La Salle and at the Ottawa police station. In the last three months, 93 pounds of medicine were brought to the Ottawa police station. Since it was installed in May 2009, 262 pounds of medicine have been collected. So far, the total weight of drugs collected throughout the county is 475 pounds, according to Jennifer Sines, Illinois Valley Community Hospital pharmacist and organizer of the program.

Later this month boxes will be placed at police departments in both Mendota and Streator, and eventually at police departments in Oglesby and Marseilles. Drop boxes also are available at many pharmacies and hospitals.

Sines added that in addition to medicines, prescription vials can be dropped off as well. They are sent to a free AIDS clinic in Africa

The goal of P2D2 is to prevent old or unused drugs from ending up in the wrong hands, in the waste stream or in local wasterways. Prescription drugs can also be a target of thieves or other family members. The program began in Pontiac and has now spread to several counties in Illinois. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant provided the funding for the Peru drop-off box.

Pictured above, left to right: Deb Parisot, LaSalle-Peru Area Career Center graphic arts teacher; Lucas Leonatti, LaSalle-Peru Area Career Center student; Deputy Chief Bob Pyszka, Peru Police Department; Senator Gary Dahl; Peru Mayor Scott Harl; and Jennifer Sines, Illinois Valley Community Hospital pharmacist.

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Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective.

Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

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This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective. Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

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🔗 in bio for more.

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Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer! Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action. ✨ What’s inside?Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materialsEngaging videos and visualizationsEasy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.🔗 in bio for more.