Jefferson Co. SO collects, disposes of prescription drugs

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday almost 1,100 pounds of unwanted medication has been collected throughout Jefferson County over the last 18 months.

The sheriff’s office participates in the prescription drug take-back program and maintains the county’s three prescription drug drop boxes in which people may dispose of unwanted medicine.

The drop boxes were installed in Madras at the Sheriff’s Office, in Culver at City Hall, and in Crooked River Ranch at the Fire Department. People can stop by and drop off unused or unwanted drugs in the box anytime.

“Most prescription abuse in teenagers starts when they take medications prescribed for an adult,” Capt. Marc Heckathorn said. “The drop box is a way for people to dispose of drugs properly and keeps them from falling into the wrong hands.”

The sheriff’s office disposes of the collected medication at Covanta Energy in Salem.

The medication is boxed and loaded by one deputy onto a conveyer belt while another deputy is in the control room watching the item travel via monitors the length of the conveyor belt, until the boxed medication lands in a large hopper, where other garbage is placed on top and it’s subsequently incinerated, Heckathorn said.