A secure disposal box known locally as “P2D2” located in the second floor lobby of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department now offers local citizens a final safe and secure destination for their expired or unwanted prescription medications.
The secure iron box which is shaped like a postal drop box is named after a Star Wars movie character who was a high tech robot shaped like a garbage can, R2D2. The Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Program in which P2D2 is the main focus is the results of an idea created by a freshman Reedsburg High School Student, Jorydyn Schara.
In 2009, Schara learned that America had nearly 250 million pounds of drugs being dumped into the nation’s water supply. Jorydyn also learned of the rising trend of young people ages 12-17, abusing the prescription drugs that they were finding in their family’s medicine cabinet or the medicine cabinet of a friend. Many times the pills found were shared with other teens or sold to fellow students.
Jorydyn Schara said she wanted to do something to stop the drugs from being flushed down the drain and also stop teenagers from abusing the stockpiled drugs they were finding in the medicine cabinets. Jorydyn’s original idea was to place a secure “drug drop box” in an authorized local location so that citizens could feel comfortable about bringing their expired and unwanted medications for proper and safe disposal.
The P2D2 Pill and Drug Disposal Drop-Box was then created. This
heavily fortified, anchored and secured iron drop box is clearly marked and
located in the secure second floor lobby of the Richland County Sheriff’s
Department. This area was chosen because the iron box can be observed by
deputies of the sheriff’s department who are working in dispatch and entering
and exiting the sheriff’s department.
The Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Program in which P2D2 is a part,
is a collaborative effort between students, communities, local pharmacies, law
enforcement, hospitals and local government. Sheriff Berglin said he was
introduced to the concept when he learned of other grant money projects that
helped place the secure iron pill disposal boxes at other secure law
enforcement facilities in Wisconsin.
Sheriff Berglin said he has assigned Lt. Bob Frank and Lt. Dan Krueger
to coordinate the P2D2 project and they are responsible for maintaining the
security and proper disposal of the expired or unwanted medications that are
dropped off.
“I am confident that our location that is available to our county citizens will be
secure and offer our citizens an easy opportunity to properly and safely dispose
of unused pills and drugs,” Lt. Krueger said.
According to Lt. Frank the following Items CAN BE dropped off in the drop box:
1). All prescription medications.
2). All “over-the-counter” medications.
3). Pet medications.
4). Mediated ointments, lotions, creams, oils, and liquid medications in “leak
proof” containers.
5). Mediations samples.
6). Suppositories.
7). Vitamins and Supplements.
8). Homeopathic remedies.
Items that CANNOT be dropped into the drug drop boxes are
needles/sharps, syringes with needles, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or
infectious waste, personal care products including all aerosol cans, inhalers, empty containers or hydrogen peroxide.
Sheriff’s Lieutenant Robert Frank said, “We hope that citizens will use the iron drop box to avoid the unsafe practice of having all their un-used and expired medications stockpiled in medicine cabinets, drawers and cupboards.
“By properly disposing of expired or unwanted medications in our iron box you can keep them from falling into the wrong hands and becoming a danger to our young people. This is your opportunity to do that.”
Lt. Dan Krueger added, “We are asking for citizen cooperation, check you old medications and talk with your family about the importance of properly disposing of un-used or expired medications.”
For more information and a picture of the secure drop-box can be found at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department website at www.co.richland.wi.us/departments/sheriff or contact Lt. Bob Frank at bob.frank@co.richland.wi.us or Lt. Dan Krueger at dan.krueger@co.richland.wi.us via e-mail.
Leave a Reply