CRANBERRY TWP — A program for the disposal of unwanted or unused prescription drugs has proven popular with Butler County residents.

District Attorney Rich Goldinger in April unveiled the program, which included the installation of seven drop-boxes around the county. Since the program began, officials have collected nearly 700 pounds of unused or unwanted prescription drugs.

The district attorney previously said that more than 250 pounds of prescription drugs were collected in the first month of the program and at least 400 pounds have been collected since.

Anyone using the boxes is assured anonymity, he said. Each drop box but one is in a police department to ensure safety and security. The only exception is a drop box in the lobby of the county prison.

The boxes are in police stations in Butler and Butler, Cranberry and Penn townships, along with Saxonburg and Slippery Rock. Anyone wanting to drop off medications can do so during business hours.

The boxes are for prescription and over-the-counter medications as well as liquid medications, inhalers, cream ointments, nasal sprays and pet medications.

Medications recovered are incinerated at an undisclosed location, he said.

Goldinger said the program has been especially popular in places like Cranberry and Butler townships as well as Butler. “We’ve been emptying Cranberry’s every other week,” the district attorney said. “I would call it a success, absolutely.”

Goldinger said the only problem is that people are tossing hypodermic needles into the boxes, which can cause dangers to those emptying the receptacles.

“There was a period of time where we found a bunch of needles,” he said. “We made an announcement but not everybody adhered to it. Certainly that creates a dangerous situation for our detectives removing the items.”

The district attorney added that the program will continue until at least the end of the year, at which time officials will revisit the drop boxes to consider any changes that need to be made.

“Right now we’re going to maintain the status quo and go with it,” he said. “At the end of the year we’ll take a look and see if maybe the drop boxes would be utilized in other locations.”

Cranberry Township police Lt. Kevin Meyer said last week that the township’s drop box remains popular among residents.

He added that the township on Sept. 27 is having an event to help supplement the drop boxes when officers will take unused or unwanted prescription drugs from residents at the municipal center.

“It’s being utilized daily,” Meyer said of the drop box in the municipal center. “It’s been well-received and people seem to like it and appreciate it.”

Butler Township Police Chief John Hays said the drop box in his headquarters is also getting significant use. He said the township has also seen its share of hypodermic needles in boxes, but added that his officers don’t routinely check to see what people are dumping. Doing so could deter some people from dropping off their medications, Hays said.

“We see quite a bit of walk-in traffic using it,” Hays said about the boxes. “It’s been very successful.”