It all adds up
To a safer community for all of us.
The Muskegon Area Medication Disposal Program (MAMDP) is a collaborative of several community organizations that have come together so that residents of Muskegon County and surrounding communities would have a place to safely dispose of unused and expired medications and sharps.
Proper disposal of medication helps promote a healthy community. By removing unused medication from your home, you can reduce your likelihood for burglary along with reducing the chance for meds to be misused. There are environmental benefits too! By not flushing or throwing away your medication, you save the environment and water supply from contamination.
We are celebrating our 10th year with collection totals of over 19 tons of medications that have been safely destroyed since 2010. The program is making an impact and a change in behavior for our area residents on how they dispose of their medications and sharps. We have grown to be one of the largest take back events for the State of Michigan according to past Michigan DEA reports.
Videos
MAMDP Take Back Events
What are we doing to help people properly dispose of unwanted medications?
Take Back Event
Saturday, October 24th 2020 from 10am to 2pm
Norton Shores Fire Department
1100 E. Pontaluna Rd
Norton Shores, MI 49444
Results from October 26, 2019, Take Back Event
We collected over 1,871 lbs of unused and expired medications and over 914 lbs of sharps that have been safely disposed! We also handed out over 53 medication lock boxes at the event alone!
Results from April 27, 2019, Take Back Event
The Muskegon Area Medication Disposal Program (MAMDP) held its Spring event on Saturday, April 27th in downtown Muskegon with over 164 participants who dropped off more than 1,900 pounds of medication overall (more than 0.97 tons). Approximately 42 pounds of both controlled substance and unknown medications were turned in as well as 817 pounds of sharps turned in. In addition to the one-day take back numbers, the team collected about 742 pounds from community and retail pharmacies and over 765 pounds were collected from permanent law enforcement collection boxes.
Controlled Medicine Drop Box Program
Muskegon County residents now have access to an expanded disposal options offering safe, convenient collection and environmentally responsible disposal of controlled medications.
Residents may dispose of their unwanted or expired controlled medications into secure drop-boxes at the following law enforcement agencies during normal business hours.
Procurement and promotion of the new secure drop boxes has been made possible through the generous support of the Environmental Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.
Properly disposing of unwanted medications.
“We continue to provide the one-day take back events in conjunction with the national DEA events to capitalize on the public awareness of properly disposing unwanted medications,” said Carrie Uthe, Chair of the MAMDP initiative. “After each of the one-day events, our team evaluates if they are still necessary, and this last one certainly proved we should keep going.”
The MAMDP initiative was started in 2010. Since then, they’ve hosted several events per year and established permanent collection boxes at all Muskegon area law enforcement departments and several local pharmacies. To date, the group has collected nearly 19 tons of materials. The Muskegon initiative has received national attention in the 2015 National Drug Control Strategy and listed as a best practice by the White House for Community Benefit projects.
Please download this flyer for other medication disposable location sites.
MAMDP Disposal Sites
What to bring
- Prescription Drugs and Narcotics
- Over the counter medicine like ibuprofen
- Medication samples, ointments, and lotions
- Vitamins
- Even pet medication!
- Sharps/needles (keep in a sealed and safe container)
What should I leave at home?
- Sunscreen and skin, or personal care products
- Anything containing body fluid or blood!
- Household Hazardous waste (paint, oil, gas)
- Aerosol Cans
- Insect repellents
- Anything that you can throw away in your own garbage
Expired or unused controlled substances:
Fruitport Police Department
5825 Airline Rd. Fruitport, MI 49415 / 231-865-8477
Mercy Health Pharmacy
Mercy Campus – 1500 East Sherman Blvd. Garden Level P-200, Muskegon / 231-672-2000
Northside – 2006 Holton Rd Suite 100, Muskegon / 231-672-3333
Montague Police Department
8778 Ferry St. Montague, MI 49437 / 231-893-0810
Muskegon County Sheriff Road Patrol Offices
1611 Oak Ave. Muskegon, MI 49442 / 231-724-6259
Muskegon Heights Police Department
2715 Baker St. Muskegon Hts, MI 49444 / 231-733-8900
Muskegon Police Department
980 Jefferson St. Muskegon, MI 49440 / 231-724-6750
Muskegon Township Police Department
1990 Apple Ave. Muskegon, MI 49442 / 231-777-1666
North Muskegon Police Department
1114 Ruddiman Dr. N. Muskegon, MI 49445 / 231-744-4313
Norton Shores Police Department
4814 Henry St. Norton Shores, MI 49441 / 231-733-2691
Roosevelt Park Police Department
900 Oak Ridge Rd. Muskegon, MI 49441 / 231-755-3721
Whitehall Police Department
405 E. Colby St. Whitehall, MI 49461 / 231-894-2317
Retail Pharmacy Drop Off
Benson’s Drug SavMor #17*
961 Spring St. Muskegon, MI 49442 / 231-722-2861
Muskegon Family Care
2201 Getty St. Muskegon, MI 49444 / 231-193-9315 x 1643
Mercy Health Partners' Retail Pharmacy Drop Off
Glenside Pharmacy
1631 W. Sherman Blvd. Norton Shores, MI 49441 / 231-755-2443
Hackley Professional Pharmacy*
1675 Leahy St. Suite #111 Muskegon, MI 49442 / 231-728-5888
Lakes Campus Pharmacy
6401 Prairie Street, Suite #1100 Muskegon, MI 49444 / 231-727-7968
Westshore Professional Pharmacy
1150 E. Sherman Blvd. Suite #1400 Muskegon, MI 49444 / 231-672-7823
Wolf Lake Pharmacy
5483 E. Apple Ave. Muskegon, MI 49442 / 231-788-4087
*Sharps will also now be accepted in a proper sharps container at the Benson’s Drug Savmor #17 and the Hackley Professional Pharmacies ONLY.
Current news and articles on medication disposal
Mlive Article – October 24, 2019
Bring your unused medications to this disposal event in Muskegon
Mlive Article – April 26, 2019
Combatting the Opioid Epidemic
City of Muskegon – April 25, 2019
Mlive Article – April 27, 2017
Bring your unused medications to this disposal event in Muskegon
Mlive Article – October 28, 2017
57 pounds of unneeded medications collected, center continues drug take-back
Mlive Article – October 17, 2016
Safely dispose of medication, sharps at upcoming Muskegon drop-off event
MLive Article – April 28, 2016
Medication, sharps disposal event this weekend
Muskegon Chronicle Online Article (April 13, 2015 at 3:14 PM) :
Local authorities aim to prevent drug misuse, contamination during take-back event
Muskegon Chronicle Online – September event:
Medication drop-off event collects nearly 2,000 pounds of Medication in Muskegon County
Department of Public Health
Ottawa County, Michigan, Medication and Sharps Disposal
Wood TV8 Interview with Emily Linnert April 2014
Statewide Resources
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
Residential Drug Disposal Guidelines
Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition
Antibiotic resistance may be the most important infectious disease threat of our time.
Michigan DNRE
Michigan’s Waste – Proper Waste Management
SafeNeedleDisposal.org
What to Do with Used Sharps in Michigan
National Resources
White House Drug Policy
Proper Disposal of Prescription Drug
Sponsors & Volunteers
Sharps Sponsor: Hospital Network Healthcare Services
A very special thank you to our sponsors. We would not be here for our community without your support!
A huge thank you to all of our volunteers who took their time to greet, run, sort, count, record, and safely box the medications and sharps. We could not hold these events without your participation.
Thank you for all of our community support!
Coalition Members
City of Muskegon Police Department
Mercy Health Muskegon
Mercy Health Muskegon Pharmacies
Muskegon Community Health Project
Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office
Norton Shores Police Department
Public Health – Muskegon County
Community Partners
CALL 2-1-1
City of Muskegon
Coalition for a Drug Free Muskegon County
City of Muskegon Fire Department
Muskegon County Public Works- HHW Program
Muskegon Pharmaceutical Access Coalition
Norton Shores Fire Department
Sponsors
Sharps Sponsor:
Hospital Network Healthcare Services
A very special thank you to our sponsors.
We would not be here for our community without your support!
Volunteers
A huge thank you to all of our volunteers who took their time to greet, run, sort, count, record, and safely box the medications and sharps. We could not hold these events with out your participation.
Want to get involved? We want to hear from you!
