LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — First responders in Pasco County now have a new and effective tool to help residents keep prescription drugs out of the wrong hands and out of our waterways.
As part of a partnership with the Alliance for Health Communities, all 30 fire rescue stations in the county and all fire trucks will be stocked with at-home drug disposal bags, free for anyone to pick up.
The Deterra Drug Deactivation pouches are filled with a carbon-based chemical to deactivate pills, liquid and patches, rendering the drugs inert. People can simply put in the meds and the process takes about 30 seconds to work. The plant-based bags can then be sealed and thrown in your regular trash bin.
First responders like Pasco County firefighter and paramedic Glenn Traiger know the dangers of drugs getting into the wrong hands.
"I like to say the 2-year-old that got into grandma's medication is no different than a human that has a substance use disorder,” Traiger explained.
He's helped push for measures like the addition of these drug disposal bags at the department. Pasco Fire Rescue will be the largest fire department in the country to have them on site.
The bags are an easy way for people to dispose of unwanted meds at home and also prevent them from being flushed down the toilet, which has shown to pose a threat to waterways, treatment systems and even marine life.
They're available at no cost to the community through AHC. For more information, you can email ASAP@empoweredcommunities.org
For those outside of Pasco County, you can find the nearest safe drug-drop-off site near you, by clicking here.