Clearing Out the Medicine Cabinet, Protecting the Community

Most people have one — a half-forgotten cabinet shelf full of old pill bottles, expired prescriptions, and mystery tablets whose labels rubbed off sometime during the pandemic. We tell ourselves we’ll deal with them “someday,” but someday rarely shows up on the calendar.

That’s what makes DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day so useful. It’s a simple, community-driven effort to keep those unused medications from becoming a danger in the home or finding their way into the environment.

On Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Van Buren County residents can safely drop off expired or unwanted prescription medications at two convenient collection sites:

• Bronson Wellness Center – 950 S. Bailey Avenue, South Haven
• Van Buren County Mental Health – 801 Hazen Street, Paw Paw

No questions asked, no forms to fill out—just a safe, easy way to do the right thing.

Last year’s Take Back Day events across the country collected nearly 600,000 pounds of medications in just one day. Each bottle represents a small but meaningful act of prevention, reducing the risk of misuse and protecting Michigan’s lakes and streams from improper disposal.

So before October 25 rolls around, take a minute to check your medicine cabinet, gather those old prescriptions, and join your neighbors in keeping our community healthy and safe.

Learn more about the national effort at the DEA Take Back Day website, or view the local event page for details and directions:
📅 Van Buren County Take Back Day Event