Sauk Rapids Debuts New Prescription Drop Boxes

(KNSI) – Representatives from Sauk Rapids-based American RX Group and the City of Sauk Rapids held a ribbon cutting Monday for two new medication drop boxes located inside the government center.

One handles syringes, needles, and other sharps. The second is for pills, capsules, and other traditional prescriptions. Police Chief Perry Beise says the new system is practically automated. “When it gets to a certain weight, I think it’s 40 pounds, it alerts one of us on a dashboard. And then we take the box out, [and] seal it. Then there’s a shipping label on it.”

Previously, the drop box was similar to one you would find at the local post office. Beise would wear cut-resistant gloves, and each week would go through by hand what was disposed of. The gloves were to avoid being poked by a stray needle, which were technically not accepted by the program at that time. Sauk Rapids was also responsible for the disposal costs and would drop off the meds collected at a facility in Alexandria.

Now, it is ARXG who are paying for the shipping of the collection bins. Beise appreciates the fact it is much more convenient for his officers, and the department is trying to make it just as simple for residents taking advantage of the service. “Monday through Friday, these doors are open, 8:00 in the morning till 4:30 in the afternoon. If you happen to come by after hours and a police officer sees you, he’ll let you in to drop stuff off.”

ARXG manufactures secured cabinets, like the drop boxes now being used by the city.

Beise encourages people to use the drop off, saying it is a much better option for the environment than using landfills or flushing it into the water system. The excess medications are incinerated after they are taken away.

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