21 Apr ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO AND ADAPT ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR DRUG TAKE BACK DAY ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25th Safely Discarding Unused Prescription and Over the Counter Medication Can Help Prevent Drug Abuse
Published on April 21, 2026
Essex County, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., the Essex County Board of County Commissioners, the Essex County Division of Community Health and Family Connections’ ADAPT Coalition are encouraging residents to dispose of their old or unwanted prescription medications during the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration’s Annual Drug Take Back Day, which is Saturday, April 25th. Collection sites are set up at municipal police departments throughout Essex County. Bringing medication to the collection locations is free and anonymous.
“Some of the most dangerous substances in your home are the unused prescription and over the counter medication in your bathroom closet. Youth may sneak pills and use them out of curiosity, but there is a real danger that this could lead to more severe drug abuse,” DiVincenzo said. “Ridding your homes of unused prescription medication and dangerous drugs is a simple and important safety measure we can all take. Using the collections sites ensures your unwanted pills are not used improperly and will be destroyed in an environmentally friendly manner. We encourage the public to join us on Drug Take Back Day,” he added.
“Drug Take Back Day is very popular and beneficial for the community. It has been such a success in West Caldwell, that we have added a permanent box in our police station,” West Caldwell Mayor Joe Tempesta said.
“Thank you to all our partners for your continued commitment to remove unwanted and expired medication from our communities. We want to continue to reduce overdose rates and the greatest steps we can take begin at home,” said Towanda Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the New Jersey DEA office.
“We celebrate and are proud to recognize the many partnerships that have been created to make our communities safer. Our collective efforts are having a positive impact. One of those initiatives is Drug Take Back Day, and together we can eliminate factors that may lead to potential drug overdoses,” said Jacques Hryshko, Executive Director of Family Connections.
“Drug Take Back Day is about action, awareness and responsibility to protect our family and our neighbors. There are new substances hitting the streets every day and we have to be able to control what we can, and that is making sure what happens in the home reduces the risk of prescription drug misuse,” said Eileen Fishman, Director of the Essex County Division of Community Health.
“We can talk about special operations and arrests we make to remove drugs from the streets, but depositing drugs in one of these secure boxes is another way to protect the community,” Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Chief Mitch McGuire said.
“These drop boxes play an important role in stopping the misuse of drugs. They are easily accessible and anonymous,” Essex County Undersheriff Fitzgerald Figliuolo said.
“Bringing unwanted and expired prescription drugs to the drop boxes is a simple yet powerful way to make the community safer. Checking your homes and removing drugs no longer being used is the easiest way to save lives,” said Nutley Police Chief Thomas Strumolo, who also serves as President of the Essex County Police Chiefs’ Association.
ADAPT, the Essex County Division of Community Health, and the DEA formed partnerships with municipal police departments to serve as collection sites. Although officials urged the public to participate in Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26th, the permanent collection sites are open year-round so unwanted medications can be safely discarded at the public’s convenience.
The permanent collection locations, which are open year-round, are as follows:
· Belleville Police Department, 152 Washington Avenue, Belleville
· Bloomfield Police Department, 1 Municipal Plaza, Bloomfield
· Caldwell Police Department, 24 Smull Avenue, Caldwell
· East Orange Police Department, 15 South Munn Avenue, East Orange
· Fairfield Police Department, 230 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
· Glen Ridge Police Department, 3 Herman Street, Glen Ridge
· Irvington Police Department, 1 Civic Square, Irvington
· Livingston Police Department, 333 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
· Maplewood Police Department, 1618 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
· Millburn Police Department, 435 Essex Street, Millburn
· Montclair Police, Department, 647 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
· Montclair State University Police Department, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair
· Newark Police Department, 22 Franklin Street, Newark
· North Caldwell Police Department, 136 Gould Avenue, North Caldwell
· Nutley Police Department, 228 Chestnut Street, Nutley
· Orange Police Department, 29 Park Street, Orange
· Roseland Police Department, 15 Harrison Avenue, Roseland
· South Orange Police Department, 201 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
· Verona Police Department, 600 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
· West Caldwell Police Department, 21 Clinton Road, West Caldwell
· West Orange Police Department, 60 Main Street, West Orange
Residents can dispose of their unused prescription drug medication by placing it in the marked collection sites. Dropping off medication is anonymous and safe. Residents should remove any identifying information from the medication containers, such as their name, address, telephone number and doctor’s name. Medications that are collected are brought to a licensed facility where they are safely disposed.
For additional information, please call 973-323-3566.
ADAPT was created by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in 2011, and is comprised of youth, parents, educators, law enforcement officials, substance abuse professionals, faith-based and government representatives, and other concerned citizens. It is managed by FAMILYConnections, a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based counseling and family service agency with over 35 specialized programs for all ages from infants to seniors. Licensed by New Jersey’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Department of Children and Families, FAMILYConnections delivers research-based therapeutic services in its offices and on-site in preschools, schools, and directly in the home. For more information about ADAPT, please visit www.essexadapt.org.
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