Tennessee American Water Announces Fall Drug - Take Back Day in Hamilton County

In partnership with several organizations,Tennessee American Water announces the fall 2014 Drug Take-Back event on Saturday, September 27, 2014,from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.The purpose of this event is to keep drugs out of the environment and off of our streets. Local residents are encouraged to simply drive up and drop off their unused, unwanted or expired medications–prescriptions or over-the-counter -- for proper disposal at one of the eight Hamilton County are a locations:

•Blood Assurance-705 East 4th Street

•East Chattanooga Improvement, Inc.-1502 McCallie Avenue

•Brainerd Walgreens Pharmacy-3605 Brainerd Road

•Red Bank Walgreens Pharmacy-4039 Dayton Boulevard

•East Ridge Walgreens Pharmacy-5301 Ringgold Road

•East Brainerd Walgreens Pharmacy-2289 Gunbarrel Road

•Harrison Walgreens Pharmacy-4542 Highway 58

•Ooltewah Walgreens Pharmacy-9307 County Highway 1145

During the spring Drug-Take Back event held in April,over 1000 pounds of medication  were collected. Since that time, two new drop-off sites have been added. The sponsors of the program have worked to expand the number of locations to make it as convenient as possible for citizens.

The local Drug Take-Back program corresponds with a national initiative sponsored by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The event offers citizens a chance to safely and conveniently dispose of unwanted, unused prescription or over-the-counter drugs (for both pets and people) and avoid misuse or unintentional harm to families, pets and the environment.

Having unused or expired medications in the home can lead to medication errors, accident a lover doses, or inappropriate use. In a well-intentioned effort to avoid these problems, many people flush unwanted medications down the toilet as a means of disposal. However, flushing medications means that traces of these drugs eventually end up back in the environment. “We are pleased to see how community participation in the Drug Take-Back events has grown in terms of pounds collected and citizens dropping off medications for proper disposal. Even the seemingly smallest efforts of an individual can have a much larger impact on protecting both our environment and our community,” said Deron Allen, President of Tennessee American Water.

Along with Tennessee American Water, other sponsors for the Drug Take-Back are:

•East Chattanooga Improvement, Inc.

•Blood Assurance

•Chattanooga Police Department

•U.S. Department of Justice-Drug Enforcement Administration

•Hamilton County Coalition

•Walgreens Pharmacy•Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department•East Ridge Police Department•Red Bank Police Department

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ABOUT TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER
Tennessee American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to more than 370,000 people in Tennessee and northern Georgia. Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com