Do you have unwanted medicines or personal records you want to dispose of properly? Good news: You can bring them to the Drug Takeback/Shred Event on Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Livermore Falls Police Department, 2 Main St., Livermore Falls. The event will offer free disposal of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines and a drive-thru operation where area residents can securely shred and recycle sensitive personal information like tax returns, bank statements, and medical records.

Medications accepted: Expired or unwanted prescriptions, vitamins, veterinary medications, homeopathic treatments, and over-the-counter medicines. If possible, medicines should be brought in their original container so they can be identified.

Records accepted: Tax forms, bank statements/loan forms, insurance records, and medical records.

What not to bring: Mercury thermometers, needles or syringes, electronic equipment, or digital storage devices such as hard drives, CDs, or thumb drives.

Proper medicine and records disposal not only protects the environment, but also prevents youth drug abuse, and protects individuals from being targeted for drug thefts. Of particular concern for youth are painkillers like morphine or codeine, and stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall. Experts say there is simply too much medication floating around in people’s homes, indicating that people are unsure how to safely dispose of them. Recent research shows that wildlife is exhibiting signs of pharmaceutical exposure.

In addition, personal identity theft is on the rise. In 2020, Maine residents reported 7,183 different incidents of identity theft, the ninth-highest rate of identity theft per capita in the U.S.

This event is being coordinated by the Livermore Falls Police Department, Records Management Center, and Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments.

For more information, contact: Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments at 783-9186, www.avcog.org.

Yvette Meunier

Auburn

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