The Pennsylvania State Police Ridgway Barracks is now another site within Elk County for individuals to dispose of unwanted and/or unused medications. A medication collection box is located within the lobby of the Ridgway state police barracks allowing individuals 24/7 access to dispose of medications, including prescriptions, prescription patches, prescription medications, prescription ointments, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, medication samples and medications for pets. Items not accepted include hydrogen peroxide, inhalers, thermometers, needles, aerosol cans, and ointments, lotions or liquids. The Pennsylvania State Police state-wide medication drop boxes program is sponsored by CVS Pharmacy and administered by the state police.
The PSP Ridgway medication drop box compliments the program started last year in Elk County by Shawn T. McMahon, Elk County District Attorney, and Todd Caltagarone, Elk County Sheriff, which has medication drop boxes located at the Elk County Sheriff’s Office, Ridgway Borough Police Department, Johnsonburg Borough Police Department and City of St. Marys Police Department with the Elk County Sheriff’s Office administering those drop boxes. All medications collected at the drop box locations in Elk County are picked up by the National Guard on a regular basis and immediately incinerated at a location outside of Elk County.
The purpose of the medication drop boxes in Elk County is to make our homes, neighborhoods, communities and county safer and healthier by allowing individuals the opportunity to safely dispose of their unwanted and/or unused medications in an environmentally safe manner. District Attorney McMahon and Sheriff Caltagarone emphasized that individuals should always be mindful of where they are storing their medications within their home so that children and guests do not have access to their medications or become aware of medications located within a home. Access to medications by a child may endanger the health and safety of a child, access to medications by individuals not prescribed specific medications, particularly opioids, may lead to addiction and knowledge of medications in a home may result in crimes being committed, including burglary.
District Attorney McMahon, Sheriff Caltagarone and Sergeant Daniel encourage the public to actively and regularly participate in using the medication drop boxes throughout Elk County inevitably making their home, community and county a safer and healthier place to live. All medication drop boxes in Elk County are intended for non-commercial individual use. In the event that a business, organization, or club would like to conduct a medication collection program at their location please contact the Elk County Sheriff Office at 814-776-5353. The Pennsylvania State Police Ridgway Barracks is located at 48 Servidea Drive in Ridgway Township.
