Saturday, Oct. 26, is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, an opportunity for people to safely dispose of unused or expired medications.
Drop boxes will be staffed and available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for take-back events across the country.
The event takes place twice a year to highlight the importance of getting rid of medications that are no longer needed. Proper disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications in a local drop box helps prevent accidental poisoning and reduces the possibility of medication misuse. It also prevents water pollution and other environmental threats.
In St. Louis County, collection points will be at the sheriff’s offices in Virginia, Hibbing and Ely, and there are dozens more throughout the region.
Visit dea.gov/takebackday to find one near you.
Medications to be disposed of should be brought in in their original containers with any personal identifying information crossed off.
Numerous law enforcement agencies and pharmacies in Northern Minnesota offer secure disposal boxes where medications can be disposed of anonymously year-round.
While these programs are the best way to dispose, transportation and access issues may make it difficult for some.
Contact your county government for more information on other disposal methods, such as a free medication mail-back envelope or a DisposeRx kit.
-
This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of May 25. -
Contributed/Penguin Random House, Hachette, and Abrams BooksChildren’s librarian Tracy Kampa reviews books by Maya Myers, Richard "Bugman" Jones, Huda Al-Marashi, Matthew Swanson and N. West Moss. -
The tick biodiversity project is driven by citizen scientists' reports of all tick species. Similar research hasn't been done since the 1940s.
-
Plus: An Orr man was charged with two felonies for shooting a firefighting plane; and the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce recognized area businesses at its annual luncheon almost a year after the derecho.
-
Events this week include "The Sound of Music" in Mountain Iron, the grand opening of a Deer River dog park and a mural unveiling in Bemidji. -
Contributed/Canva Pro graphicMark Smith, 66, died Thursday, May 21, 2026, after hitting a deer near Hill City in southern Itasca County while riding a dirt bike. -
Charlie Mitchell/KAXECo-hosts Heidi Holtan and Charlie Mitchell ponder the advisability of Charlie waylaying wildlife.Send us a voice memo through Speak Pipe! -
Plus: Red Lake Nation residents cast ballots for the tribal council election; and bipartisan housing legislation made it across the finish line in the divided Legislature.
-
Contributed/Max Nesterak / Minnesota ReformerFifteen people are charged with targeting over $90M across Medicaid programs aimed at helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people, children with autism and disabled people. -
As Bemidji Area Schools mediates with its bargaining units after a spring of budget cuts, Bemidji bus drivers and their supporters urged the Board for their support.
