Walgreens Launches Program For Safe Disposal Of Medication
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walgreens has added in-store kiosks where customers can dispose of unused medicine at dozens of its pharmacies in Illinois.
There are now 45 sites across Illinois where people can discard of unwanted, unused, or expired prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and other controlled substances.
The kiosks look almost like stainless steel mailboxes that are bolted to the ground.
"Unfortunately, 1,600 people here in Illinois died because of drug abuse in this state alone [in 2014]. And across all of America, 47,000 people have died because of drug overdoses. It's a real issue that we want to play our part in controlling and hoping to solve," said Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said proper disposal of old medication is one way of fighting prescription drug abuse.
"You visit the Walgreens pharmacy that participates in this program, and you end up putting these pills back into the container," he said.
More than 500 Walgreens stores nationwide now have the safe medication disposal kiosks.
Once full, the kiosks are emptied by Lake Forest-based Stericycle, and the contents are taken to an incinerator in Ohio for disposal.
Walgreens guaranteed patient privacy is protected throughout the process.
The following Walgreens stores in Illinois have the kiosks:
• Chicago – 1931 W. Cermak Ave.; 3405 S. King Drive; 8628 S. Cottage Grove Ave.; 4010 W. Lawrence Ave.; 4343 N. Central Ave.; 6016 W. 63rd St.; 5600 W. Fullerton Ave.; 1633 W. 95th St.; 2001 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 641 N. Clark St.; 3201 N. Broadway St.; 5625 N. Ridge Ave.; 111 S. Halsted St.
• Aurora – 1221 N. Lake St.
• Belleville – 5890 N. Belt W.
• Berwyn – 7113 Cermak Road
• Bloomington – 1525 N. Veterans Pkwy.
• Buffalo Grove – 15 N. Buffalo Grove Road
• Calumet City – 522 Torrence Ave.
• Carbondale – 206 S. Wall St.
• Champaign – 1713 W. Springfield Ave.
• Collinsville – 401 Beltline Road
• Decatur – 1311 N. Illinois Route 48
• Deerfield – 780 Waukegan Road
• Downers Grove – 1000 Ogden Ave.
• Elgin – 1700 Larkin Ave.
• Glen Ellyn – 324 Roosevelt Road
• Hanover Park – 7350 Barrington Road
• Joliet – 1801 Ingalls Ave.
• McHenry – 3925 W. Elm St.
• Montgomery – 1799 Douglas Road
• Mt. Prospect – 1028 S. Elmhurst Road
• Naperville – 63 W. 87th St.
• New Lenox – 466 Nelson Road
• Niles – 9000 N. Greenwood Ave.
• Olympia Fields – 20950 Governors Hwy.
• Orland Park – 14680 S. La Grange Road
• Pekin – 2020 Court St.
• Peru – 1033 Shooting Park Road
• Rockford – 2323 Charles St.
• Roscoe – 5065 Hononegah Road
• Springfield – 2020 S. MacArthur Blvd.
• Sycamore – 1340 Dekalb Ave.
• Villa Park – 200 E. Roosevelt Road
• Waukegan – 1811 Belvidere Road