Schuylkill County Sheriff Joseph G. Groody and the Office of Drug Enforcement Administration, along with Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol program, local law enforcement and community partners, have announced the eighth nationwide prescription drug "Take-Back" initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft.

County law enforcement agencies have agreed to take part in this initiative and will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26.Locally, people can turn in their medications at Tamaqua borough hall, 320 Broad St..Take back locations also include the Butler Township Police Department, 211 Broad St., Ashland; Pine Grove Police Department, One Snyder Avenue, Pine Grove; Orwigsburg Police Department, 209 North Warren St., Orwigsburg; Schuylkill County Court House, 401 N. 2nd St., Pottsville, (use the security entrance); Mahanoy City Police Department, 239 East St., Mahanoy City; Port Carbon Senior Citizen Center, 90 Washington St., Port Carbon; Shenandoah Borough Hall, 15 West Washington St., Shenandoah; and Pottsville School District Middle School, 1501 Laurel Blvd., Pottsville.The one day event is free of charge and open to everyone. The program is anonymous. You are encouraged to remove your personal information from the prescription labels.Participants may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box.All expired or unwanted controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines are accepted.Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original plastic container.The following itemsare not accepted: glass containers, intra-venous solutions, injectibles, syringes and illegal substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine.