The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office will be sponsoring a medication disposal event, in partnership with:

• Beaufort CountyAlcohol and Drug Abuse Department
• LifeFit Community Health
• SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Beaufort Naval Hospital Pharmacy
• Beaufort Fire Department
• Beaufort-Jasper Water Sewer Authority
• Bi-Lo Pharmacy
• BeaufortCounty Solid Waste and Recycling
• BeaufortCountyParks and Leisure Services

The purpose of the Medicine Cabinet Clean-Out event is to reach out to the citizens of Beaufort County with expired and leftover medicines (including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements) in their homes. Keeping expired and leftover medication in the home can lead to unintentional poisonings, especially in young children and older adults. Also of concern, is that improper disposal of medication can lead to soil and water contamination.

All responsible individuals in Beaufort County homes are encouraged to gather old and/or unwanted medications and bring them to the collection sites, where they may be dropped off for appropriate disposal. A secure, tamper-proof depository box will be available at each site for those wishing to surrender any medications.

Participants will be provided with scissors and markers for removing any identifying personal information from the medication containers prior to placing them in the box. Sheriff’s deputies will be onsite to monitor the depository box at all times.

Following the conclusion of this event, the collected medications will be appropriately disposed of by Evidence Technicians with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

This is an amnesty event aimed at removing these potentially dangerous medications from circulation. As such, no participant will be prosecuted for surrendering ANY medication during this event.

Citizens are asked NOT to bring liquid medications, syringes, or medical waste to collection sites.

Event dates are as follows:

• Saturday, March 6^th, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Public Works department (9 Benton Field Rd) in Bluffton.
• Saturday, May 1^st, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Public Works department (142 Shanklin Rd) in Burton.