Do you have expired or unwanted prescription medications at your home?

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office installed a drop box to accept expired medications and prescription medications left over after the death of a relative or friend, said Lt. Philip Martin, who handles evidence for the office. Parents who find illegal drugs in their home may drop off those narcotics as well.

“Any individual may drop off prescription medications or narcotics anonymously with no report,” Martin said.

The drop off box is located just inside the sheriff’s office main lobby at 940 New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro. Medicines or narcotics in a container or bag may be dropped off 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Liquids must be sealed.

Deputy Jim Noe of the Community Service Unit asked the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to donate a drop off box. Rutherford County was one of 13 counties to receive the box.

Disposing of the drugs in the drop box prevents the drugs from being flushed into the county’s water system.

TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau said monitoring across the nation indicated the presence of pharmaceuticals in surface water and waste water.

“TDEC is pleased to present these new permanent collection drop-off boxes offering a safe and viable disposal option to keep drugs out of our water and off the streets,” Martineau said.

Martin said most antibiotics flushed into a non-septic system will directly affect the Stones River watershed. It affects rivers and streams directly by fish and wildlife that drink from the water and recycling back into water consumed by humans.

Noe said prescription drugs are a high theft item.

“This enables citizens to dispose of them in a proper manner to help mitigate any negative issues they may have with prescription drugs in their household,” Noe said.

A list of the do’s and don’ts are labeled on the front of the box.

“We’ve often had individuals appear in the lobby with medications who don’t know what to do with it,” Martin said. “The drop box gives the opportunity to dispose of the drugs at no cost. I think it will be a meaningful service for people.”