UVA Health Installs Drug Take-Back Receptacles in Emergency Departments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

UVA Health Installs Drug Take-Back Receptacles in Emergency Departments  

UVA Health installs receptacles to improve safe medication disposal year-round in the emergency departments of UVA Health Culpeper, Haymarket, and Prince William Medical Centers. 

MANASSAS, Va., March 25, 2026 — Safely disposing of unused or expired medications is an important step in preventing misuse and protecting the community. To make disposal easier and more accessible, UVA Health has installed secure drug take-back receptacles in the emergency departments at UVA Health Culpeper, Haymarket, and Prince William Medical Centers. 

The receptacles provide patients, visitors, and team members with a convenient way to dispose of unused medications. The initiative is a collaboration between UVA Health’s Pharmacy and Community Engagement teams and the Inmar Drug Takeback Program. 

Community members can drop off prescription, over-the-counter, and controlled substances for proper disposal. The receptacles cannot accept injectable devices such as EpiPens, needles, or other sharps used for medication administration. 

Unused medications kept at home can pose safety risks. Many people who misuse prescription pain medications obtain them from friends or relatives, often from medicine cabinets. Safe disposal helps prevent these medications from falling into the wrong hands and reduces the risk of accidental ingestion by children or pets. It also protects the environment, since flushing medications can introduce pharmaceutical compounds into water systems that wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove. 

“Many people don’t realize that keeping unused medications at home can pose safety risks,” said Jonathan Meli, PharmD, MS, director of pharmacy for UVA Health’s community medical centers in northern Virginia and Culpeper. “Providing secure disposal options in our emergency departments helps prevent accidental exposure, misuse, and environmental harm while supporting the safety of our patients and communities.” 

UVA Health also supports community drug take-back events. On April 25, the medical centers will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, organized in partnership with local law enforcement. 

Event Details, Drug Take Back Day 

When: 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25 

Where: 

·      UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center, 15225 Heathcote Blvd., Haymarket, VA 20169 

·      UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, 8700 Sudley Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 

·      Culpeper Police Department, 740 Old Brandy Rd., Culpeper, VA 22701  

For more information about medication disposal options, contact the UVA Health Pharmacy Department. 

·       Culpeper Medical Center 540.829.4347 

·       Haymarket Medical Center 571.284.3350 

·       Prince William Medical Center 703.369.8171 

For additional information or to schedule an interview with a spokesperson, please email Debbie Fleischer at KQQ9DC@uvahealth.org.