Rep. Walker, Sen. Gillespie, Community Partners Offer Prescription Drug Take Back and Electronics Recycling Event

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – In partnership with the Arlington Heights Senior Center, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet, state Rep. Mark Walker and state Sen. Ann Gillespie are promoting their upcoming Drive Through Prescription Drug Take Back and Electronics Recycling Event to be held on Sat., August 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Arlington Heights Senior Center, located at 1801 W. Central Rd. in Arlington Heights.

“Properly disposing of prescription medications and recycling electronics are critical to keeping our drinking water and our environment safe for all,” Walker said. “Too often, individuals will flush their medication or dispose of them improperly. Our drug take back and electronics recycling event is a safe, secure way to dispose of any unwanted products that can be challenging to properly dispose of.”

Free and open to the public, this event is a first-come-first-serve drive-through format. Items will be accepted until all space is used in the collection trucks. Attendees may bring unwanted or expired human and pet medications to ensure proper disposal and may be brought in prescription bottles which will be shredded to protect attendees’ identities. Only pill medication will be accepted, please no liquid medication or sharps.

The accepted electronic items include cables, cell phones and telephone devices, computers and laptops, hardware and motherboards, holiday lights, monitors, calculators, printers and fax machines, game systems, stereos, toasters, blenders, toner cartridges, UPS and car batteries. Televisions are also accepted but are limited to one per household.

“We’d like to thank our community partners for helping organize this event, with a special thank you to the Arlington Heights Senior Center for use of their space,” Gillespie said. “It’s important that residents are aware of the many organizations and agencies in our area dedicated to things like clean drinking water, safe disposal of medication, and a healthier environment.”