A record amount of more than a ton of medications was collected in Lehigh County on Oct. 26, during the seventh National Take Back Day drug collection event.

During the four-hour collection, residents disposed of 2,014 pounds of expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications at 17 sites that included police departments, grocery stores, pharmacies and malls.

The event was coordinated by the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office, area police departments, the Allentown Health Bureau, Pennsylvania State Police and the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.

In Lehigh County, the total collected during seven Take Back Days since 2010 is 6,840 pounds, or nearly 3-1/2 tons.

DEA personnel collect the boxes of medications at all sites and take them to an incinerator where they are burned.

"The huge volume clearly shows that residents are aware of the dangers of keeping expired and unused medications in their homes and that they want to dispose of them properly," said Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin.

"I would like to thank all the police departments and state police who participated in the collection, Allentown Health Bureau employees, the DEA, and businesses that hosted collection sites to make the locations convenient for residents," Martin said. "I also want to thank the public for doing their part to combat the problem of prescription drug abuse and the media and crime watch groups who helped to inform the public of the event and the sites."

The totals include:

·Slatington Police Department, 125 S. Walnut St., Slatington, 99.5 pounds;

·South Whitehall Township Police Department, 4444 Walbert Ave., South Whitehall Township, 172.5 pounds; and

·Upper Macungie Township Police Department, 37 Grim Road, Upper Macungie Township, 113.5 pounds.