The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

Carle allows residents to dispose medications

The medication and needle disposal program began Saturday at Urbana’s Market at the Square, with 400 needle boxes available for distribution.

“A lot of people have told us that they are thankful and that this program was long overdue,” said Erica Stevens, supervisor of the main pharmacy location in the hospital’s lobby.

Gretchen Robbins, spokeswoman for Carle Foundation Hospital, said there was no year-round location to drop off needles in Champaign-Urbana in a safe and environmentally friendly way prior to this program.

“Last April, during a medication collection drive, over 800 pounds of old medication was dropped off,” Robbins said. “This told us that we needed to do this year-round,” Robbins said.

The program is part of a larger initiative of the hospital known as “healthy people, happy planet.”

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“We seek to reduce the accidental consumption of medicine, reduce pollution of location water sources and prevent blood-borne diseases,” Stevens said.

Krystina Stadler, a graduate student with a diabetic cat, got one of the needle boxes to dispose of the medicines she gives her pet. She believes the program is a good resource.

“It’s great to have a means to dispose of biohazards,” Stadler said.

The pharmacy will also be able to take unwanted over-the-counter medications, liquids and inhalers at three locations: the main pharmacy in the hospital, the Old Farm Shops in Champaign and the Fairchild Street location in Danville, Ill.

Residents who do not fill their prescriptions at Carle pharmacy locations are still eligible to receive a needle box. Once the box is filled, it can be brought back to any Carle pharmacy location for safe disposal.

Although the program is intended to make the disposal of unwanted medications and used needles easier, Carle cannot accept needles in boxes other than the ones it provides. The pharmacy will not accept narcotics because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers narcotics to be a controlled substance, Stevens said.

“We are making it known that we cannot take narcotics,” Stevens said. “We can refer them to the proper way to dispose it.”

The program is a collaborative effort of two other community partners — Illinois American Water and Prairie Rivers Network. Carle believes the program will differentiate the pharmacy from large chains by offering services such as not charging for medicine and needle disposal, Stevens said.

“Illinois American Water provided us with secure boxes to drop off unwanted medication that prevent anyone from removing anything,” Robbins said.

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