Fort Lauderdale Offers First Medication Take Back Event
Sunday, January 23, 2011
101 N. Andrews Avenue
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fort Lauderdale residents who are cleaning out their garages, sheds and homes to gather items for drop off at the City’s annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event can add one more place to check for items . . . their medicine cabinets.
As part of its annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event, the City of Fort Lauderdale is sponsoring its first Medication Take Back Event. In addition to collecting HHW, the City will also be accepting unused, unwanted or expired medications. There is no cost to drop off medications and residents may remain anonymous; however, residents dropping off HHW will be required to provide proof of residency.
If you have medications you no longer need or want, this is a great opportunity to safely dispose of them. By properly disposing of medications at the Take Back event, you will help:
- Prevent prescription drug abuse
- Prevent accidental overdoses
- Prevent accidental poisoning of children and pets
- Reduce environmental pollution
- Decrease the amount of waste sent to local landfills
- Protect our drinking water supply, local waterways and native wildlife
Start checking your medicine cabinet today for items to drop off at the Take Back event. Your participation in the event can help keep everyone safe – you, your family, friends, pets and your planet.
What to bring:
- Medicated syrups, liquids, ointments, creams, shampoos, and lotions
- Medication samples
- Medications with incomplete or missing labels
- Over-the-counter medications
- Pet medication
- Prescription medications (controlled and non-controlled)
- Prescription inhalers
- Unknown tablets and capsules
- Vitamins
What not to bring:
- Aerosol cans
- Bandages
- Chemotherapy/radioactive substances
- Injectable solutions
- Medical waste of any type
- Medications generated from businesses /doctor’s offices
- Needles/sharps
- Syringes
- Thermometers (These may be disposed of at the HHW drop off the same day.)
Helpful Guidelines
- Leave all medications in their original containers with the name of each medicine visible if the labels are still intact.
- Remove all patient information (patient’s name, doctor’s name and prescription number) or black it out with a permanent marker.
- Make sure containers do not leak. Tighten the lids or place the medication in a plastic baggie if it is leaking.
City of Fort Lauderdale staff, along with a Fort Lauderdale police officer, will be on site to collect the medications. Once collected, the medications will be disposed of and destroyed in a safe, environmentally friendly manner according to state laws and regulations.
Medications should never be flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, doing so can contaminate Florida’s aquatic environment. For more information about how to safely dispose of medications, please visit www.dep.state.fl.us.
For more information about the Medication Take Back Event, please contact the 24-hour Customer Service Center at 954-828-8000.
Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Sunday, January 23, 2011
101 N. Andrews Avenue
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County residents are invited to safely dispose of their household hazardous waste and electronics at the one-day Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event.
With proof of residency, residents can drop off hazardous household items and electronics at no charge. Business or government generated waste will not be accepted.
Acceptable Items
- Paint, paint thinners and strippers
- Gas cylinders
- Pesticides and insecticides
- Antifreeze
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Automobile, mercury and rechargeable batteries
- Used motor oil, automotive fluids and gasoline solvents
- Fire extinguishers, flares, propane tanks
- Lawn and pool chemicals
- Household cleaners
Residents may also bring old electronics, such as computers with accessories, televisions, fax machines, printers and cell phones, for free disposal. To dispose of business-generated electronics, please call 954-577-4160.
Unacceptable Items
- Explosive materials
- Biohazardous (medical) waste
- Microwaves ovens
- Stereos
- Business-generated items
Safety Precautions for Household Hazardous Waste Items
- Wear protective gloves.
- Do not mix products.
- Keep all items in their original containers with the lids tightly sealed. If the items are not in their original containers, residents should clearly label each item to identify the contents inside.
- Put leaking products in a large plastic container and use a non-flammable absorbent, such as cat litter, to pack around leaking products.
- Do not smoke or place products near sources of heat.
Alternative Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Locations
For residents who are unable to attend the event, items may be dropped off free-of-charge with proof of residency at one of the following Broward County collection sites:
North Area (Pompano)
2780 N. Powerline Road (North of Copans Road on the east side)
Hours of Operation: Every Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Items accepted: Flammables, toxics, corrosives and reactive waste.
Central Area (Davie)
5490 Reese Road (At I-595 and Davie Road, go east on Reese Road)
Hours of Operation: Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Items accepted: Paints (oil and latex), batteries and tires, oil, oil filters, antifreeze, fluorescent light tubes and propane cylinders only.
South Area (West Park)
5601 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. (West of I-95 on the north side)
Hours of Operation: Every Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Items accepted: Flammables, toxics, corrosives and reactive waste.
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event, which is co-sponsored by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Waste and Recycling Services and Partner Cities, was created to bring hazardous waste disposal services into the community and to provide an additional drop off location for county residents. By offering alternatives for the safe disposal of HHW, the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and surrounding cities, are taking a pro-active role in protecting the environment and preventing these items from ending up in landfills or contaminating water sources and wastewater treatment plants.
For more information about the HHW Collection Event, please contact the City of Fort Lauderdale’s 24-hour Customer Service Center at 954-828-8000.
Additional information is also available by calling Broward County's Hotline at 954-765-4999 or visiting the County’s web site at www.broward.org/wasteandrecycling. |
