Hilliard residents can drop off unused or expired prescription pills for free on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the police department, 5171 Northwest Parkway.

The Hilliard Division of Police will run a drive-thru collection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, a program run by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), according to the city. The service is anonymous.

No questions asked.

Only pills are accepted. Needles, sharps, asthma inhalers and illicit drugs will not be taken at the drop box.

Before dropping off medications, residents should black out any personal information on prescription bottles, including names and addresses. The Hilliard Division of Police will partner with the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) to recycle the bottles.

The DEA holds the national collection event twice a year. The October 2025 event brought in 571,054 pounds of medication nationwide. Since the program launched in fall 2010, the agency has collected more than 10,517 tons of prescription drugs across the country.

The program targets a problem that starts at home. According to the DEA's Take Back Day page, most people who misuse prescription drugs obtain them from family, friends and acquaintances. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that approximately 8 million people over the age of 12 misused prescription pain relievers in 2024.

DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said in an April statement promoting the program's 30th collection event that removing unused medications from homes is a key step in preventing prescription drug misuse.

Residents who miss the Oct. 24 event can use a year-round prescription drug drop-off box in the lobby of the Safety Services Building at 5171 Northwest Parkway. That box accepts pills and capsules.