• Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series of recycling Q&A tips from Kane County Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Jarland. Got a question or idea for a recycling tip? Contact Jarland at 630-208-3841 or recycle@countyofkane.org.

Following the Daily Herald’s front page article on prescription drugs, I have received five phone calls in the last couple of hours, so I wanted to follow up with the list of drop-off locations in Kane County.

This article will talk about where you can recycle medications in Kane County and provide information about the annual DEA Drug Take Back Day scheduled in October.

Rule No. 1: DO NOT FLUSH!

First of all, please do not flush prescription medication down the toilet, where the chemicals enter the water stream, threatening the health of the ecosystem of the Great Lakes and other drinking water sources.

Properly disposing of medications keeps medicine out of the hands of someone who might abuse them and also protects the environment.

For more information on keeping pharmaceuticals out of the Great Lakes, see the list of resources below.

• Product Stewardship Institute
• Environmental Health News — Pharmaceuticals

Kane County Drop-Off Locations

Kane County is fortunate to have quite a few year-round collection locations.

These locations are only for prescription and over-the-counter medications. Please take pills and capsules out of original bottles before placing them in a clear re-sealable bag for delivery.

Orange plastic med bottles are not recyclable. Do not put them in your blue bin, please.

You can put them in the trash or they ARE reusable! They’re great for paperclips, beads, sewing needles, spices, and many other little things.

White plastic bottles can be recycled in your blue bin once emptied.

Supplements/Vitamins Can Go In Trash

Please note that Kane County drop-offs do NOT accept supplements, vitamins, liquid medicines, or sharps, syringes and needles!

Supplements like vitamins are not controlled substances and do not pose a hazard, so they can go in with your regular trash.

What To Do With Sharps/Syringes/Needles

Sharps are not accepted at the Kane County locations, with the exception of one: the Kane County Coroner’s Office in Geneva.

There are very few return programs for syringes nationally. Many people rely on safe disposal — the most commonly recommended process for discarding needles — or mail-in programs.

National Drug Take-Back Day

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s next Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, at participating locations nationwide.

These locations will be open to all residents. Please check the DEA website closer to the event day to see the list of locations that have registered.

Consumers who are unable to visit a location on Take-Back Day can access the list of year round locations in Kane County (scroll down) or search the Illinois EPA’s list of medication disposal locations.

During the 15^th National Take-Back Day, held in April, more than 5,800 DEA-coordinated collection sites across the country accepted tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms of medicines, including prescription painkillers and other controlled substance medications.

The DEA collected nearly 950,000 pounds (475 tons) of unwanted medication during the spring drug-collection effort.

The total weight of drugs collected in the first 15 take-back events are astounding; nearly 10 million pounds (5,000 tons) of unwanted medication, according to the DEA.

Drop-off Locations in or near Kane County

Aurora — Walgreens 

• Note: No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 1221 N Lake St., Aurora, IL 60123 / 630-264-6269
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Batavia Police Department

• Note: City of Batavia residents only.
• Address / phone: 100 N. Island, Batavia, IL 60510 / 630-454-2500
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Elgin Police Department

• Note: City of Elgin residents only. Pills, capsules and tablets are the only items received at this location.
• Address / phone: 151 Douglas Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 / 847-289-2500
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Elgin — Walgreens 

• Note: No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 1700 Larkin Ave., Elgin, IL 60123 / 847-695-1158
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Geneva Police Department

• Note: City of Geneva residents only. No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 20 Police Plaza, Geneva, IL 60134 / 630-232-4736
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Geneva — Kane County Coroner’s Office

• Note: This office WILL take syringes/needles.
• Address / phone: Government Center, 719 Batavia Ave. Geneva, IL 60134 / 630-232-3535
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Huntley Police Department

• Note: Only pills, capsules, and tablets received at this location​.
• Address / phone: 10911 E. Main St., Huntley, IL 60142 / 847-515-5311
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Montgomery — Walgreens 

• Note: No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 1799 Douglas Road, Montgomery, IL 60538 / 630-896-6960
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off

• Address / phone: 156 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville, IL 60540 / 630-420-6095
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, except holidays

Naperville — Walgreens 

• Note: No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 63 W 87th St., Naperville, IL 60565 / 630-778-7645
• Hours: Seven days, 24 hours

Oswego Fox Metro Office

• Address / phone: 682 Route 31, Oswego, IL 60543 / 630-892-4378
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Pingree Grove Police Department

• Note: No syringes/needles.
• Address / phone: 1 Police Plaza, Pingree Grove, IL 60140 / 847-464-4600
• Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

South Elgin Police Department

Note: Village of South ​Elgin residents only. No syringes/needles​, liquids, medical marijuana or illicit drugs.
​See this link for full list of accepted and not accepted items.

• Address / phone: 10 N. Water St., South Elgin, IL 60177 / 847-741-2151
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

St. Charles, Kane County Sheriff’s Office

• Address / phone: 37W755 Il Route 38 # A, St. Charles, IL 60175 / 630-232-6840
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

St. Charles Police Department

• Note: City of St. Charles residents only. No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers. Keep pills in bottles for this location only.
• Address / phone: 211 N Riverside Ave., St Charles, IL 60174 / 630-377-4435
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.

Sugar Grove Police Department 

• Note: No syringes/needles​, liquids, or inhalers.
• Address / phone: 10 S Municipal Dr., Sugar Grove, IL 60554 / 630-466-4526
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

More Kane County recycling information can be found at www.countyofkane.org/recycling.