OMAHA, N.E.(DRGNews)- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and its partner agencies collected and safely disposed of over 20,000 pounds of unused medications from South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota during last month’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Emily Murray with the DEA’s Omaha Division breaks down the weight of the medications collected, starting with South Dakota.

Whether dropped off during one of the annual spring or fall Take Back Days or dropped off at unused medication drop boxes that are available at pharmacies and law enforcement agencies year-round, Murray says proper disposal of prescriptions meds is important.

Murray says the collection events wouldn’t be as successful as they are without the partnership of law enforcement agencies around the country.

Since it began 16 years ago, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans properly dispose of nearly 19.8 million pounds of medications. Of that total, the five-states in the Omaha Division have collected 688,426 pounds.

The Take Back Day on April 26, marked the DEA Omaha Division’s highest Spring collection since 2021, when 37,355 pounds were removed.

If you want to clean your medicine cabinet out on a routine basis, safe disposal options are available year-round. To find a year-round drop off location, visit the Every Day is Take Back Day website.