FARMINGTON — Area police departments are participating in Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, held in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The program gives the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. 

Items accepted include prescriptions/samples, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and medications for pets.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 residents may bring these items to:

*  Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, 123 County Way, Farmington

*  Farmington Police Department, 116 Franklin Ave., 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

*  Jay Police Department at Hannaford’s Supermarket, Main Street, Jay

*  Livermore Falls Police Department, 2 Main St., Livermore Falls

*  Rangeley Police Department, 15 School St., Rangeley

*  Wilton Police Department, 874 Main St., Wilton

No information or names are taken. People are asked to keep all medicines in the original container and remove all personal information.

The Drug Enforcement Administration held its first national drug collection campaign in 2010 “to provide a more environmentally responsible and secure way to dispose of medications,” according its website.

Some people flush them down the toilet or throw them in the trash. In recent years, medicines have been found in water supplies or have been taken from the trash by people who would abuse or sell them, according to the site.

All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers may be accepted Saturday. Intravenous solutions, injectables and syringes will not be accepted due to the potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens. Illicit substances, such as marijuana or methamphetamine should not be left in collection containers.

The Farmington Police Department is holding a food drive in connection with the drug collection. Nonperishable foods will be taken to the Care and Share Food Closet in Farmington.

The department has a prescription drug lockbox in the lobby. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, people can bring in prescriptions.

Americans turned in 647,211 pounds of expired and unwanted medications at the 5,683 sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories in November 2013. It was the second-largest collection in seven years, the DEA website said. More than 3.4 million pounds of medications have been collected in seven years, the agency said.

[email protected]