This past spring, a county-wide prescription drug takeback netted 100 pounds of unwanted pills.

Officials were surprised then, when another 138 pounds of pills and liquid were handed over at this past weekend’s annual household hazardous waste event sponsored by the Lawrence–Scioto Solid Waste Management District.

With this in mind, Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless has applied for a grant from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to purchase a permanent drug collection box. The box would be kept under lock and key and security camera surveillance at the sheriff’s office. People would come to the office and hand over what they no longer want or need.

“This way, people could drop by and leave their unwanted medicine in a secure place and it would be incinerated periodically,” Lawless said.

Based on the success of recent one-day drug takebacks, Lawless is hopeful his office will get such a grant. He said other cities have such boxes now and it make it more convenient and secure for people to dispose their old pharmaceuticals properly.