Want to safely get rid of unwanted medicines in your home? From 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, an Androscoggin County Medicine Disposal Day will be held at Lewiston High School.

The disposal will include a drive-through operation in which people can safely hand over old and unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. Police will be present to supervise the collection.

What to bring:

• If possible, bring medicines in their original container so they can be more easily identified.

• Expired or unwanted prescriptions

• Vitamins

• Veterinary medications

• Homeopathic treatments

• Over-the-counter medicines

What not to bring: Mercury thermometers, needles or syringes or electronic equipment.

Medicine Disposal Day not only helps protect the environment, but also prevents youth drug abuse and protects the elderly from being targeted for drug thefts.

“People need a safe and easy way to get rid of their old medicines,” said Jayne Harper, substance abuse prevention manager of Healthy Androscoggin. Of particular concern for youth are painkillers like morphine or codeine, and stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall.

Another concern people have is the impact that medicines have on the environment, particularly waterways. Recent research shows that wildlife is exhibiting signs of pharmaceutical exposure.

This event is being coordinated by the Lewiston Police Department, Auburn Police Department, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Healthy Androscoggin, Lewiston and Auburn public schools, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Pharmacy, Central Maine Medical Center’s Pharmacy and School of Nursing, SeniorsPlus, the Lewiston Housing Authority and the Auburn Housing Authority.

For more information contact: Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments at 783-9186, www.avcog.org or Healthy Androscoggin at 795-5990, www.healthyandroscoggin.org.