Corewell Health will have two prescription drug drop off sites open on Saturday, October 26 as part of the DEA’s annual National Drug Takeback Day.

Corewell’s Becca Dill tells us the organization’s drop off locations are Corewell Health South Hospital in St. Joseph and the Corewell Health Care Center in Niles. Both will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dill says it’s safer to take unneeded medications to disposal sites than to just throw them in the trash. Corwell has made quite a difference with these takeback events over the years.

“In 2023, Corewell Health collected 107.2 pounds, and this program has been going for more than a decade,” Dill said. “So, it’s really amazing. Since the program started, they have collected 9,285 tons of medication that’s been removed from circulation and safely disposed of.”

Dill says Corewell is working with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department to collect and dispose of the medications. The sheriff’s department will incinerate them.

Meanwhile, the DEA says there will be anonymous disposal sites for medications at more than 4,000 locations nationwide Saturday. Among them will also be the Michigan State Police post in Niles and Howard Township Hall in Cass County. You can search for drug drop off sites on the DEA’s website.