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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Saturday is the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and communities across central Ohio are offering time for people who want to dispose of unwanted medication safely.

Twice a year, dropoff locations host collection events to help those who want to ditch their prescription medication that is sitting idle. Police departments, sheriff’s offices, and local Kroger and Meijer stores will be collecting unwanted medication for safe disposal from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Dropoff locations will accept unused pills while other locations may collect and dispose of liquids, gels, and patches. Kroger stores will only be accepting unused medication outside of the stores and will not accept them inside the stores. At participating Meijer’s, customers can drop off medicine in the drug take back kiosks near the pharmacy.

This event is also used to raise awareness for prescription drug abuse. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 32.4 of every 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2021, a 14% increase from 2020. Additional CDC data shows an increase from 2020 to 2021 in overdose deaths involving opioids such as fentanyl and tramadol.

While disposing of prescription drugs at a dropoff location is encouraged by officials, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio gives a step-by-step guide for how to dispose of medication in your house. For those instructions, click here.

The next drug take back day will take place in October. To find more dropoff locations in central Ohio, click here. In the link, search your zip code and county to find the closest drop-off location in your area.

A majority of these locations offer year-round availability for drug disposal.