King County offering safe way to dispose of unwanted medicines

King County residents can safely dispose of medicines they no longer need by taking them to drop-boxes at various locations.

Participating pharmacies, clinics, hospitals and law enforcement offices will accept most prescription and over-the-counter medicines for disposal.

Mail-back envelopes are also available for residents who are homebound or have limited mobility.

In Federal Way, the drop-box locations are at:

• Kaiser Permanente Group Health Federal Way Medical Center: 301 S. 320th St.

• HealthPoint Federal Way, 33431 13th Place S.

• Federal Way Police Department, 33325 Eighth Ave. S.

Drug overdoses have surpassed car crashes as a leading cause of preventable death in King County, according to a press release.

Unused, expired and leftover drugs that accumulate in homes increase the risk of drug abuse, overdose and preventable poisonings, while unwanted medicines flushed down toilets and sinks or thrown in the trash can end up in the environment.

The secure medicine return program provides residents secure ways to dispose of these drugs at no charge to them.

There are now 99 drop-boxes installed and operational and 410 drug producers who are participating.