Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
It only took four hours for East Windsor Township to collect 35 pounds of unused, unneeded or expired prescription medicine during “Operation Medicine Cabinet,” according to East Windsor Township Mayor Janice Mironov., The program, sponsored by the New Jersey Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, seeks to get that medicine out of residents’ homes and into the hands of federal officials for disposal by offering the one-day special program., “I think it was a great success,” Mayor Mironov said of the event, which took place April 29., The program provides an opportunity to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medications in a secure and environmentally responsible manner. It also prevents possible misuse and access to the drugs by unauthorized persons and young people, Mayor Mironov said., But that’s not the only chance for residents to drop off unused or expired drugs., East Windsor Township set up a permanent drop box for unneeded, unused and expired drugs in the lobby of the Police/Court Building at 80 One Mile Road last summer., The drop box at the Police/Court Building is available for residents to dispose of medications around the clock, every day of the year. The goal is to make it convenient for residents, so they will not have to rely on once-a-year events such as Operation Medicine Cabinet to get rid of medications., Since the permanent box was installed last summer, 427 pounds of unused, unneeded and expired drugs have been collected. The East Windsor Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse researched the program and helped to set up the collection box.
