GVCCC and Freeport McMoRan bring expired medication boxes to GV

The Community Services Committee (CSC) of the Green Valley Community Coordinating Council has been working more than a year on a special initiative to create a system that would allow residents to safely and securely dispose of expired medications.

The system CSC developed consists of collection boxes in each of the Green Valley Fire stations. Bolted into the concrete of the station anterooms, the double-locked boxes will allow residents to safely dispose of old medications into a secure, controlled environment.

Signs on each box will provide guidance as to what can and cannot be deposited. Contents will be collected periodically by CSC volunteers who, in company with Sheriff’s Department representatives, will transport them to the Tucson/Pima County Hazardous Waste Program for destruction.

The signs also acknowledge the participation of the Green Valley Fire District, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and Freeport-McMoRan.

Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold was asked if they would consider a grant to help foster the drug disposal initiative. Their shared concern for our environment led them to provide a grant of $2,500 in support of the initiative. That has allowed for the immediate purchase of collection boxes and signs, which should all be placed by the end of November.

For more information on expired medication boxes, contact Rich Richey, Chair, Community Services Committee, at 979-9284.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726