Brief: Three Rx Drug Drop-Off Spots in Dakota County

Dakota County has established a permanent prescription drug drop-off program at three sites in the county.

Drop-off is safe and anonymous.

prevents misuse and abuse, while also preventing potential environmental impacts from flushing drugs down the toilet or sending them to a landfill.

Residents can bring prescription or over-the-counter drugs, including pet medications, to drop boxes located at the following three locations:

• Burnsville Police Department 

100 Civic Center Parkway, Burnsville

• Hastings Sheriff’s Office 

1580 Hwy. 55, Hastings 

(There's a drive-up location in front of the Law Enforcement Center)

• West St. Paul Police Department 

1616 Humboldt Avenue, West St. Paul 

Needles, sharps and fever thermometers are not accepted but can be disposed of at the .

Medications should be in their original packaging and placed in a clear plastic bag. Use a marker to cross out any identifying information. If the original packaging is not available, write the name of the drug on the clear plastic bag.

Demand for drug-disposal locations was made clear when a 2010 drop-off event hosted at a number of locations in Dakota County netted six 55-gallon drums full of over-the-counter medications and roughly 100 pounds of controlled drugs such as Adderall and oxycodone.