A steady stream of Villagers arrived Saturday at Winn-Dixie at Lake Sumter Landing to take part in Operation Medicine Cabinet.
Deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters from the Villages Public Safety Department greeted those dropping off unwanted medicine.
Most Villagers took advantage of the “drive up” option, both in automobiles and golf carts.
Proper disposal prevents the medicine from being stolen or abused. Thrown into the garbage, pharmaceuticals can wind up leeching into the environment. Flushed down a toilet the medicines can contaminate groundwater supply. Disposing of unused or expired medicine also keeps children and grandchildren from potentially getting into the prescriptions.
Operation Medicine Cabinet provides a safe way of destroying pharmaceuticals through incineration, to avoid polluting the environment.