READING — Chief David Clark would like to share that the Reading Police Department’s medication collection program has closed.
The medication collection program, “RX Round Up,” closed on Dec. 27, 2023.
The closure of this program means that the medication collection kiosk will be removed from station 15 Union St. due to the permitting requirements and to assure that no hazardous materials enter the collection bin. The department has previously received hazardous materials and is no longer able to safely operate the program.
Reading Police started the medication program in 2010 and have collected over 5,280 pounds of medication through the program.
Residents are encouraged to use commercial drop-off locations such as CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid to safely dispose of unwanted or unused prescription medications. The closest locations include the Walgreens in Stoneham, 225 Main St., and the CVS in North Reading, 18 Main St.
For the first 11 years of the program, Reading Police had the ability to transport medications for disposal to Covanta, a third-party disposal site. Over the past two years, the program was funded by the Med Rx state grant which provided the department with the medication kiosk and box pick-ups from Stericycle every month.
The program was covered by a federal permit that allowed Reading Police to package the contents for pick-up. While the permit renewal was approved, the requirements under the new permit have impacted the decision to close the program.
“I would like to thank everyone that participated in the program and took the time to drop-off unwanted or unused prescription medications,” said Chief Clark. “This program provided residents with a safe means for disposal, and I am extremely proud of the success we have had over the past 13 years.”
