EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The City of El Paso’s Public Safety Coalition is making safe medication disposal more accessible by providing free deactivation pouches at every El Paso Fire Department (EPFD) station.
The coalition includes EPFD, the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the El Paso Police Department (EPPD). Aliviane, a local organization dedicated to addressing substance use and promoting healthier communities, is supporting the initiative by supplying the Deterra Drug Deactivation System pouches that will be distributed through fire stations.
Deterra pouches offer residents a simple and environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of unused or unwanted medications at home. The pouches use activated carbon to deactivate medications, helping reduce the risk of misuse or accidental ingestion while keeping medications out of wastewater and the environment, the City said.
Residents can pick up the pouches from any EPFD station and use them at home to safely dispose of unused or unwanted medications.
“Providing our community with convenient access to safe medication disposal is another way we can help prevent accidental poisonings, medication misuse and other dangers associated with unused medications,” El Paso Fire Department Fire Chief Jonathan Killings said. “With fire stations located throughout the City, residents have a convenient and accessible resource to help safely deactivate and dispose of medications in their homes.”
“The health and well-being of our community is our priority, and prevention saves lives, help people live longer and protects our most vulnerable members of our community” said the local Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza. “The Public Safety Coalition is making our community safer by providing the necessary tools to address an important issue in every home, unused dangerous medications that can be silent killers when someone intentionally or accidentally takes a medication that was not prescribe to them”
The partnership among EPFD, DPH, EPPD and Aliviane supports the City’s ongoing efforts to promote public safety, prevent substance misuse and provide residents with practical resources to protect themselves and their families, the City said.
Residents are encouraged to check their homes for expired or unused medications and pick up free Deterra pouches from their nearest fire station.
For more information about EPFD or to find a fire station, click here.
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