Meijer Pharmacies Anticipate Collecting 3 Tons of Unwanted Medications During National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

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Apr 21, 2022, 12:27 ET

Retailer's in-store kiosks offer convenience for customers to dispose of unused or expired medications

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meijer pharmacists anticipate collecting 3 tons of unused and potentially harmful prescriptions drugs on Saturday, April 30 during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Meijer also collects unused and expired medications year-round through their drug take-back kiosks located near each pharmacy.

The retailer is encouraging customers to take advantage of the program that allows them to bring their unused and expired medications to its pharmacies to help properly dispose of them.

Meijer pharmacists anticipate collecting 3 tons of unused and potentially harmful prescriptions drugs on Saturday, April 30 during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Meijer also collects unused and expired medications year-round through their drug take-back kiosks located near each pharmacy. The retailer is encouraging customers to take advantage of the program that allows them to bring their unused and expired medications to its pharmacies to help properly dispose of them.

"It's easy to forget about clearing out medicine cabinets, especially with the challenges we've all faced over the past few years. The Meijer Drug Take-Back Program helps our customers remove the risk of an unforeseen medication accident and helps keep medications out of our waterways and environment, by providing a secure place to dispose of them," said Jackie Morse, Vice President of Meijer Pharmacy. "It adds a convenience to one-stop shopping and is the best way to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications."

In 2021, the retailer collected more than 30 tons of unwanted medications in easily identifiable kiosks near each of its pharmacies. Customers can access the kiosks year-round for disposal of items like opioids, controlled substances and over-the-counter medications at Meijer stores during normal pharmacy hours. Customers can ask for help if needed, but the kiosks are positioned near the pharmacies so they can simply come in and drop the medications off, no questions asked.

Items that are not accepted as part of the program include needles or other sharps, inhalers, mercury thermometers, medications that contain iodine and illicit drugs.

Once the medications are dropped into the kiosks, Meijer pharmacists follow procedures to properly document, transport and dispose of medications on a regular basis. The Meijer Drug Take-Back Program complies with the rules and safety guidelines established by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and HIPAA privacy laws.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30.

To find a Meijer Pharmacy, go to Meijer.com/Pharmacy.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 258 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys, and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com Follow Meijer on Twitter at twitter.com/Meijer and twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.