EPHRATA — Live in Ephrata and got some unneeded prescriptions that you want to get rid of? Then you are in luck as Ephrata now has an additional drug drop-off box for people to use.

Ephrata City Administrator Wes Crago said city staff has been working with CVS Pharmacies to add another drug drop-off box in the city for unneeded prescription medications. In addition to the city’s current box, which is located in the alley between Ephrata City Hall and the Ephrata Recreation Center, residents can now drop off medications at the new box at Ephrata City Hall, 121 Alder St. SW.

The new box is available for use during the city’s business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The boxes are designed for medicines, pills and “the like,” Crago said.

“So that the boxes do not become overfilled too quickly, we ask that all pills be removed from their containers and placed into sealed plastic bags. Ointments, pastes, and other liquid medications should remain in their containers, but similarly be placed in sealed bags. This is for safety, and the cleanliness of the drop box,” Crago explained.

People are encouraged to never dispose of pills in the garage or flush them down the toilet, as they “present a real hazard” to the city’s water supply and could possibly be found by young children. Ephrata police officers will seal the box when it is full, weigh it and later transport it to the Spokane Waste to Energy Plant, where it will be dropped into an incinerator.

The boxes are not designed to handle sharps or needles and people are encouraged to collect sharps in a plastic bottle or tin can, but not fill it more that 75 percent. Once the bottle hits that limit, the city encourages people to tape the lid shut, write “SHARPS” on the container and throw it away with regular garbage.

For more information on the city’s drug drop-off boxes contact 509-754-4601.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.