More than 60 Pounds of Prescription Medications Disposed of at Ritchie "Shed the Meds" Event

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced that prescription drugs totaling more than 60 pounds were disposed of recently at a “Shed the Meds” event held at Carthage Area Hospital in an effort to help people safely and responsibly dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications.

The event, which was hosted in conjunction with Carthage Area Hospital and made possible with assistance from the Carthage Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, helped to continue Senator Ritchie’s efforts to encourage people to “Shed the Meds,” which so far have resulted in nearly 700 pounds of prescription medications being safely eliminated in recent years. 

“Often times, little prescription pills can pose a big threat, putting the health and safety of children, pets and others in jeopardy, as well as potentially threatening our waterways if disposed of improperly,” said Senator Ritchie. 

“By working together, we have provided residents with not only a responsible way to dispose of prescription medications but also have increased the health and safety of the community.”

“It can be tempting to simply throw unwanted or expired medications in the trash, flush them, or eliminate them in another way,” said Carthage Area Hospital CEO Rich Duvall.  “However, as most of us know, doing so can result in very negative consequences.  I would like to thank all those who took this very important step toward improving public health and safety and also would like to express our thanks to Senator Ritchie for partnering with us to make this important event possible.”

Those who were unable to attend the recent Shed the Meds event can dispose of unwanted or expired medications during regular business hours at the Jefferson County Public Safety Building, located at 753 Waterman Drive in Watertown.