BEL AIR, MD — Harford County residents will be able to dispose of unwanted prescription medications at seven locations Saturday as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The collection window runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 24.
The Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy is organizing the effort with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies. Officials say the event gives people a simple way to clear out medications they no longer need without keeping them at home or tossing them in the trash or sink.
County officials also say the drop-offs will be accepted without questions. The program is meant to reduce the chance that medications are misused while also keeping pharmaceutical substances out of the environment.
Why officials say the collection matters for households and the environment
Take Back Day is built around a public safety message: unused pills can create risks if they are left in medicine cabinets or otherwise stored in the home. By offering a short, local drop-off event, Harford County is urging residents to get rid of medications they no longer need before they become a problem.
Officials also frame the program as an environmental measure. Prescription drugs that are thrown away or washed down drains can end up where they do not belong, which is why the county is encouraging proper disposal instead of casual cleanup methods.
The county says the event is part of ongoing efforts to promote safe disposal and reduce the dangers associated with keeping leftover drugs around. That message has become a regular part of the national campaign, which communities across the country use to steer expired or unused medications into approved collection sites.
Bel Air, Aberdeen and Havre de Grace are among the drop-off locations
Residents can bring medications to the County Office Building parking lot in Bel Air, located at 220 S. Main St. at the corner of Business Route 1 and Main Street. Another Bel Air site will be the Bel Air Police Department at 39 N. Hickory Ave.
The county also listed the Aberdeen Police Department at 60 N. Parke St. and the Havre de Grace Police Department at 715 Pennington Ave. as collection points. Additional public locations include the Maryland State Police office at 1401 Bel Air Road and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Northern Precinct in Jarrettsville.
For people in Abingdon, Wegmans at 21 Wegmans Blvd. will also accept drop-offs. The county says the seven locations are spread across the area so more residents can participate without a long drive.
What residents can bring to the event on Saturday
The county says the event is for unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications. The focus is on giving residents a safe, convenient place to turn in drugs that are no longer needed.
Officials have not asked residents to sort the medications before arriving, and the drop-offs will be accepted with no questions asked. The county did not list any special requirements beyond bringing medications to one of the participating sites during the event hours.
By setting up a short collection period at police departments, a sheriff’s office precinct and other county sites, officials are aiming to make disposal easy enough that people are more likely to do it properly. That is the core public health idea behind the annual take-back effort.
The county is using law enforcement and public buildings to reach more people
The list of sites includes local police departments, a state police location, the county government building parking lot and a sheriff’s office precinct. That mix gives the campaign visibility and puts drop-off points in familiar places where residents already go for public services.
Harford County officials say the partnership with law enforcement agencies is important because it helps with access and oversight. It also reinforces the message that these medicines should be handled through official channels rather than kept at home indefinitely.
Saturday’s event is one piece of a larger public outreach effort. County officials say they want residents to know that safe disposal is available and that clearing out medicine cabinets can help prevent misuse while reducing environmental harm.
How Harford County residents can get more information before the collection ends
People who want more details can contact the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy at 410-638-3333 or by email at odcp@harfordcountymd.gov. Officials provided those contacts for residents with questions about the event or the drop-off process.
The county’s announcement is aimed at making participation simple: bring the medications to one of the seven listed locations between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and leave them with the collection site. County leaders say the event is intended to make a routine task safer and more convenient for households across Harford County.
With collection points spread across Bel Air, Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Abingdon and Jarrettsville, the county is trying to give as many residents as possible a nearby option for disposing of leftover prescriptions responsibly.