Tennessee American Water announced Thursday that it will join community partners and local law enforcement to host a free drug disposal event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Local residents are encouraged to bring their unused and unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to one of three locations in Hamilton County so they can be properly disposed of in an environmentally safe manner by law enforcement officials.
Residents can drive-up and drop-off their unused and unwanted medications to local law enforcement officials without leaving their cars at the following locations: East Chattanooga Weed and Seed Office at 1502 McCallie Ave.; Finley Stadium’s First Tennessee Pavilion at 1826 Reggie White Blvd. and Brainerd Village at 5770 Brainerd Road. If possible, residents are asked to bring all medications in their original containers.
According to Tennessee American Water officials, having unused and expired medications in the home can often lead to medication errors, accidental overdoses and inappropriate use. By supporting local drug disposal events, the company can provide residents the opportunity to dispose of the drugs before they can harm families, pets and the environment.
“Tennessee American Water is committed to supporting organizations and initiatives that help protect our local water supplies and surrounding watersheds,” said Deron Allen, president for Tennessee American Water. “By supporting events like this, we can help the public understand the importance of protecting our local water resources and educate them about the proper disposal of unwanted or unused medications, which means not flushing them down the toilet.”
Along with sponsoring the event, Tennessee American Water employees will be volunteering at the East Chattanooga Weed and Seed location. Other groups participating in the event include: East Chattanooga Weed and Seed, the Chattanooga Police Department, the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Tennessee American Water and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.