Shiawassee Times

City of Portage issued the following announcement on Jan. 4

Red Med Box is a drug collection and disposal program launched in Kalamazoo County in 2011.  The Red Med Box is a joint effort among law enforcement, the Kalamazoo Household Hazardous Waste Center, Kalamazoo County Substance Abuse Task Force, and many other community partners.  The program allows the safe disposal of unwanted or expired medications, including over-the-counter medications. Once collected, the medications are taken to an incinerator and destroyed.

Red Med Box offers an alternative to flushing old medications down the toilet, which contaminate local water sources.  Moreover, certain medications considered controlled substances have a high potential for abuse and addiction and often fall into the wrong hands.  Red Med Box is a safe and secure way to dispose of these medications.

Location & Hours

A Red Med Box is located in the Department of Public Safety Headquarters Building (7810 Shaver Road) across from the Duty Officer window.  The Red Med Box is accessible Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.  

Red Med Boxes are also located at Walgreens Pharmacy at 7920 Shaver Road and Meijer Pharmacy at 8850 Shaver Road.

Additional Red Med Boxes are located in Kalamazoo and Schoolcraft: 

1.  KDPS – E. Crosstown Parkway, Kalamazoo

2.  Township Police – 1720 Riverview Drive, Kalamazoo

3.  Sheriff’s Office – 1500 Lamont Avenue 

4.  WMU Public Safety – 511 Monroe Street 

5.  Schoolcraft Police – 442 N. Grand Street/Us 131 

In 2019, the Portage Department of Public Safety collected and destroyed more than 3,500 pounds of unwanted or unused medication, protecting the environment from contamination and our community from medication abuse and addiction.

Keep medications in the original container and mark out any personal identifying information. Then, simply drop the medications in the Red Med Box.  No need to check in with anyone or fill out any forms.  It’s just that simple!

Red Med Box will accept:

»          Expired and unused medications

»          Over-the-counter medications

»          Antibiotics/steroids

»          Cold and flu medications

»          Vitamins and herbal supplements

»          Medication samples

»          Pet medications

»          Medicated ointment/lotion/drops

»          Unopened Epi-Pen

»          Liquid medications

Red Med Box will NOT accept:

»          Needles/lancets/syringes

»          Thermometers

»          IV bags

»          Bloody or infectious waste

»          Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, etc.

»          Business waste

»          Empty containers

»          Personal care products

»          Used Epi-Pens

»          Aerosol cans

»          Electronic devices (diabetes testers, etc.)

»          Inhalers

Original source can be found here.

Source: City of Portage