Genoa Township hosting Big Red Barrel drug collection on Saturday

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Genoa Township is hosting The Big Red Barrel from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at the township hall, 2911 Dorr Road. The Big Red Barrel is used to collect outdated and/or unused medications.

Identification is not required, and there is no cost for the disposal. Sharps also will be collected for a one-time only opportunity.

Controlled substances and all other solid dosage medications are accepted with no questions asked. Don’t bring pill containers or other identifying information like labels.

Bring a plastic bag filled with all your outdated and/or unused medication. Liquid medication will be accepted if stuffed into a Ziplock bag with enough paper towels to absorb all the liquid. Use separate bags for each liquid medication. Inhalers will not be accepted.

The Livingston County Drain Commissioner’s office will also be on-site to collect sharps and needles. Sharps need to be in a heavy plastic container, like a Red “Sharp” Box, or an empty plastic laundry detergent jug sealed with tape. Businesses and medical facilities are not allowed to dispose of sharps at this event.

The Big Red Barrel program is a project of the Livingston County Community Alliance. It was established in 2011 as a safe way to dispose of prescription medications, especially painkillers, which can be a gateway drug to heroin use. The Big Red Barrel collections are also environmentally friendly, keeping unwanted drugs from being flushed into water systems.

With help from businesses, local law enforcement agencies, students, and other community members, the LCCA
 designed collection units that look like big, red barrels. In April 2011, the first ones were placed in the Michigan State Police Department in Brighton, and at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department. Since then, the Big Red Barrel effort has resulted in the secure and environmentally safe disposal of over a ton of drugs.

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The Livingston Post is the only locally owned, all-digital information and opinion site in Livingston County, Mich. It was launched by award-winning journalists who were laid off from the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus by Gannett Co. Inc. in 2009.

1 Comment

  1. It was a huge success. Despite the bitter cold, 64 pounds of unused medications were collected and are now on the way to be incinerated.

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