The 17th National Take Back Day drug collection event is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 27. During that time, Lehigh County residents can take expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications to police departments and other locations at 14 sites in Lehigh County.

County residents can dispose of capsules, pills, pet medications and liquids. Syringes or sharps will not be accepted.

Residents who dispose of medications will remain anonymous, and no questions will be asked.

The event is being coordinated by the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, Allentown Health Bureau, area police departments and the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.

District Attorney Jim Martin asks county residents to take part in National Take Back Day.

“I hope Lehigh County residents will take this opportunity to remove potential hazards from their households. Some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs in the country are painkillers that contain hydrocodone, such as Vicodin and Percocet, and oxycodone, such as OxyContin. In addition to painkillers, anti-depressants, such as Lorazepam (Ativan) and Alprazolam (Xanax), and stimulant prescription drugs, such as Ritalin and Aderall, are too often kept in homes where they can be abused or stolen,” Martin said.

Since the first Take Back Day in 2010, 12,944 pounds of medications have been collected in the county. In addition, a total of 24,769 pounds of medications have been collected from the permanent medication collection boxes that have been installed in area police departments and hospitals. In all, more than 18 tons of drugs have been collected in Lehigh County.

Collection sites are listed below, but computer users also can visit deadiversion.usdoj.gov and click on “Got drugs” on the left to find convenient locations. Users can click on “Search for a collection site near you” and then enter their ZIP code.

DEA personnel take the drugs to an incinerator, where they are burned.

Medications will be collected April 27 at the following locations:

• Catasauqua Police Department, 90 Bridge St.

• CVS Pharmacy, 1601 W. Liberty St., Allentown

• Giant Food Store, 3015 W. Emaus Ave., Allentown

• Wegmans, 3900 Tilghman St., Allentown

• Westgate Mall entrance, 2285 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem

• David’s Italian Market, 346 Main St., Emmaus

• Fountain Hill Police Department, 941 Long St.

• Macungie Police Department, 21 Locust St.

• South Mall central court, 3300 Lehigh St., Salisbury Township

• South Whitehall Township Police Department, 4444 Walbert Ave., back of municipal building, lower level

• Upper Macungie Township Police Department, 37 Grim Road

• Upper Saucon Township Police Department, 5500 Camp Meeting Road

• St. Luke’s University Health Network, Fountain Hill campus, 801 Ostrum St., and Allentown campus, 1736 Hamilton St.

If residents can’t dispose of their medications during April 27, they can deposit unused drugs in the permanent collection boxes.

The locations of year-round collection boxes are:

• Whitehall Township Police Department, 3731 Lehigh St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays

• Coplay Police Department, 98 S. Fourth St., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays

• Catasauqua Police Department, 90 Bridge St., open 24 hours, seven days a week

• Allentown Police Department, 1005 W. Hamilton St., open 24 hours, seven days a week

• Bethlehem Police Department, 10 E. Church St., 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays. Visitors entering the city hall location should advise the front desk they are there to go to the police department to discard unwanted medications.

• Coopersburg Police Department, 5 N. Main St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

• Emmaus Police Department, 400 Jubilee St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays

• Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th Street, 1627 W. Chew St., Allentown

• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, 2545 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem

• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Salisbury Township, 1200 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Allentown, outside the pharmacy

• Salisbury Township Police Department, 3000 S. Pike Ave., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

• Slatington Police Department, 125 S. Walnut St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

• South Whitehall Township Police Department, 4444 Walbert Ave., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays

• Upper Macungie Township Police Department, 37 Grim Road, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays

• Upper Saucon Township Police Department, 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Center Valley, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays