Framingham drug take back day set for Oct. 24

The City of Framingham announced Oct. 11 that it will take part in the National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, held with the Framingham Health Department, Framingham Medical Reserve Corps and Framingham Police Department, will take place in the parking lot of the Memorial Building at 150 Concord Street as a drive-thru style collection.

The city noted that early voting will also be taking place at the Memorial Building that day.

The event is part of a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that offers a way to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications while educating the public about the risks of misuse and environmental harm.

Residents are encouraged to bring unused or expired prescription medications, over the counter medications, and pills, capsules, tablets and patches. Needles, sharps, liquids, thermometers or inhalers will not be accepted.

Framingham Health Director William Murphy said in a statement, "Removing unused medications from the home reduces the risk of accidental poisoning and prevents the potential for misuse. It's a simple step that helps create a safer and healthier home environment."

Murphy also said, "Our goal is to make it easy for people to do the right thing with leftover medications."

The city said proper disposal protects public safety and the environment, noting that flushing medications can contaminate water systems and harm aquatic life, while improper trash disposal can lead to accidental poisoning or misuse by children or pets.

The National Drug Take Back Day program, sponsored by the DEA, has collected and destroyed millions of pounds of prescription drugs nationwide since it began.

Residents can find updates through the city's website, social media channels, its Sunday newsletter and the NotifyMe alert system.

Source: City of Framingham announcement, October 18, 2026.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the original announcement.