The York County Solid Waste Authority (YCSWA) disposed of a total of 2.62 tons of unused and expired medication in 2022. The YCSWA disposed of substances collected via the secure Medication Return Box Program and community drug take-back events, along with illegal drugs delivered by law enforcement entities for destruction.

Currently, 20 York County police department locations partner with YCSWA to host medication return boxes in their police department lobbies. The Medication Return Box Program provides a secure disposal option for unwanted medications from residential sources at no cost to the public or to law enforcement agencies.

The secure medication return boxes work like a mailbox. Once medications are deposited, they cannot be retrieved and are contained in a locked compartment accessible only by law enforcement. The heavy-duty green metal boxes bolt to the floor and wall. Law enforcement personnel maintain the boxes and secure medications that are received until they can be destroyed.

Medications collected in the boxes are delivered by law enforcement to YCSWA's waste-to-energy facility, the York County Resource Recovery Center, for safe and complete destruction. YCSWA's waste-to-energy facility is equipped with state-of-the-art combustion technology and air emission controls.

Residents interested in dropping medication at a return box location should remove their personal information from containers before depositing them in boxes. Only residential prescription medications are accepted. Pharmacies, hospitals, and other commercial sources of medications are not eligible to participate. Syringes and other sharps are not accepted in this program. Members of the public may deposit unwanted medications anonymously in medication return boxes during the following lobby hours, except on holidays.

All locations are open to the public for medication disposal on weekdays. Locations and their hours include City of York Police Department, 50 W. King St., York, 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Hellam Township Police Department, 44 Walnut Springs Road, York, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lower Windsor Township Police Department, 2425 Craley Road, Wrightsville, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Springettsbury Township Police Department, 1501 Mount Zion Road, York, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; West Manchester Township Police Department, 380 E. Berlin Road, York, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and York Area Police Department, 33 Oak St., York, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about the YCSWA's Medication Return Box Program, visit http://www.ycswa.com.