The City of Alexandria is encouraging residents to safely dispose of unused prescription and over-the-counter medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event will be held on Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with collection sites at the Alexandria Police Department Headquarters, Fire Station 210, The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray, and Walgreens Pharmacy on King Street. These locations will be staffed by members of the Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.
Needles will not be accepted at the event. Residents seeking information about needle disposal or permanent medication drop-off locations are advised to visit the city’s website.
Volunteers at each site will provide information about safe medication disposal and promote the city’s permanent drop boxes. They will also distribute free drug disposal pouches for home use.
Unused or expired medications stored in homes can lead to misuse, particularly with opioid prescriptions. In 2024, Alexandria collected 2,294 pounds of unused medication. Improper disposal of drugs can also harm local waterways because wastewater treatment plants may not remove all pharmaceutical substances.
For those without access to safe drug disposal sites, residents are encouraged to follow these steps: remove medication from its original container without crushing it; mix it with an inedible substance such as kitty litter or coffee grounds; place the mixture in a sealable bag or container before discarding it in the trash; and black out personal information on prescription labels.
More information about substance use prevention is available at alexandriava.gov/SAPCA and details about local efforts against opioid misuse can be found at alexandriava.gov/Opioids.
“For reasonable disability accommodation, contact danelle.johnson@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.5791 or call Virginia Relay 711. If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available; please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.”
