Local law enforcement officials reported a steady stream of volunteers on Oct. 26 dropping off outdated prescription drugs to the Boothbay Harbor Police Station during the nationwide biannual Drug Take-Back Day. Last spring, Boothbay Harbor police collected about 60 pounds of prescription drugs, according  to Sgt. Patrick Higgins.

This year, Higgins, Boothbay Harbor patrolman Tom Chryplewicz and Lincoln County Sheriff Sgt. Alan Shea collected drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Boothbay Harbor municipal meeting room. The event is held each spring and fall to bring awareness to disposing out-of-date and unused prescription drugs safely. Maine law enforcement officials will transport all returned pharmaceutical drugs collected to a central county location. From there, the drugs are taken to Portland for incineration. But residents don’t have to wait for a prescribed day to return pharmaceutical drugs to their local law enforcement station.

“We do this for promoting awareness,” said Shea. “Most people know you can drop them off at any time.  All we ask is you double-bag them and not include any liquids.”

Local Lincoln County police stations store the returned drugs in a locked steel bin until they are sent to Wiscasset.