Twice a year Washington County and surrounding residents have the chance to safely drop off unwanted, unused, or expired prescription medication as part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Take Back Day.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Washington Police Department are hosting a take back event from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at the United Presbyterian Church parking lot. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Residents are recommended to place pills in a plastic bag and dispose of the bottle at home, for privacy reasons. They will not be accepting liquids, needles or sharps. This is the 21st nationwide event since its start 11 years ago. Last spring, Americans turned in 839,543 pounds of prescription drugs. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.