SPENCER — The Spencer Police Department and Rowan County Public Health are partnering to host a medication take-back event on Saturday in celebration of Rowan County Creek Week and the importance of keeping the local waters free of pollution.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Spencer Town Hall, located at 460 S. Salisbury Ave. This event will help to kick off the Third Annual Race to the River 5K and Fun Run on Wil-Cox Bridge that will begin at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively.

The event provides the opportunity for residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted and expired prescriptions and any over-the-counter medications. Medicines that stay in home cabinets are highly susceptible to being improperly disposed, misused or abused. In addition to this, research has shown that disposing of any type of medication in an incorrect way, such as flushing it down the toilet or throwing medication away in the trash, poses a great safety and health hazard to our environment, water and the animals that call it home.

The following types of medication are accepted for disposal at this event and at any of the medication take-back boxes throughout Rowan County:

• Prescription medications and patches
• Over-the-counter medications
• Ointments
• Vitamins
• Medication samples by physicians and/or dentists
• Medication for pets

These items cannot be disposed at this event or in any of the medication take-back boxes found throughout the county:

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Thermometers
• Inhalers
• Aerosol cans
• Needles or sharps

Every day is medication Take-Back Day in Rowan County. Other medication take-back boxes include:

• China Grove Town Hall, 333 N. Main St.
• Price Pharmacy, 429 N. Highway 29, China Grove
• Cleveland Town Hall, 302 E. Main St.
• Granite Quarry Police Department, 143 Salisbury Ave.
• Kannapolis Police Department, 401 Laureate Way
• Moose Pharmacy, 1113 N. Main St., Kannapolis
• Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, 102 N. Central Ave., Landis
• CVS Pharmacy, 8765 Highway 52, Rockwell
• Rockwell Police Department, 303 W. Main St.
• Cooperative Extension, 2727 Old Concord Road, Salisbury
• CVS Pharmacy, 1924 Statesville Blvd., Salisbury
• Moose Pharmacy, 1408 W. Innes St., Salisbury
• Rowan County Health Department, 1811 E. Innes St., Salisbury
• Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, 232 N. Main St., Salisbury
• Salisbury Police Department, 130 E. Liberty St.
• Walmart Pharmacy, 323 S. Arlington St., Salisbury