More than 100 cars passed through the UConn Health Center’s medication disposal program Saturday, leaving behind pills, patches, bottles and inhalers.

As part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Health Center’s was one of several dozen collection points throughout Connecticut.

“The preferred method to dispose of expired or no-longer needed medications is through incineration,” says pharmacist John Dobbins, who organized the UConn Health Center collection. “Disposing of meds this way will help keep our water clean and our streets safe.”

A volunteer staff of 40, including 10 UConn pharmacy students and eight UConn nursing students ran a drive-through collection point in front of the Medical Arts and Research Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The tally included 279 prescriptions of controlled substances, amounting to 5,700 capsules, tablets or patches; 3.75 liters of liquid narcotics; 9 ½ pounds of inhalers; and 224 pounds of other medications, enough to fill three 55-gallon barrels.

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