Have unused or expired medication taking up room on your shelves? Get rid of them Saturday during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.  

Twice a year, law enforcement agencies throughout Utah host prescription drug take-back events at various locations to encourage the safe disposal of expired medication and to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug addictions and overdoses, according to the Utah Take-Back website.

The service is free and anonymous. 

“Prescription drug abuse, particularly for painkillers, has risen to epidemic levels nationwide, and Utah is no exception,” Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a press release. “Prescription drugs, when administered and taken responsibly, can be a productive tool for pain management. But far too often, what begins innocently can lead to dependence and devastation.”

Items that can be returned include prescription medicines, over the counter medicines, vitamins, pet medicines, medicated ointments and lotions, inhalers, up to 12 ounces of liquid medicines in glass or leak-proof containers, and medicine samples.

Take-back collections do not accept needles, lancets, syringes, thermometers, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide and business waste.

The following are drug collection locations that will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, only:

Hill Air Force Base Commissary, 7451 6th Street on Hill Air Force Base

Kent’s Market, 3535 W. 5600 South in Roy

Lee’s Marketplace, 2645 N. 400 East in North Ogden

Macey’s, 2062 W. 1800 North in Clinton

Macey’s, 325 36th St. in Ogden

Newgate Mall, 36th St. & Wall Ave. in Ogden

Rancho Market, 905 26th St. in Ogden

Smith’s Food & Drug, 1316 North U.S. Highway 89 in Farmington 

Smith’s Food & Drug, 951 W. 1700 South in Syracuse

Smith’s Food & Drug, 1170 E. Gentile St. in Layton

Wangsgard – Ridleys, 37 N. Harrisville Rd. in Ogden 

Woods Cross Police Department, 1555 S. 800 West in Woods Cross 

For a complete list of permanent drug take back locations in Northern Utah, visit www.utahtakeback.org.