More than 524 million prescription pills are dispensed each year in Arizona, according to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. Even in high-performance water treatment plants, some pharmaceuticals cannot be completely broken down — and this means they make their way into wetlands and groundwater, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

Trevor Baggiore, ADEQ director of water quality, said they’re trying to get ahead of the problem

“The solution is prevention. Prescription drugs are harmful to plants are harmful to animals and harmful to people over the long term. That’s our responsibility is to protect the water that people drink and people recreate in,” said Baggiore.

The ADEQ is holding a take-back event Sept. 26 at 10 locations so Valley residents can safely dispose of their old prescription medications.

• Black Mountain precinct station, 33355 N. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331.
• Black Mountain precinct station, 302 E. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix, 85024.
• Desert Horizon precinct station, 16030 N. 56th Street, Scottsdale, 85254.
• Maryvale precinct station, 6180 W. Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix, 85035.
• Mountain View precinct station, 2075 E. Maryland AV. Phoenix, 85016.
• Metrocenter mall transit center, 9617 N. Metro Parkway, Phoenix, 85021.
• Sunny Slope police station, 750 W. Peoria Ave. Phoenix, 85029.
• Target shopping center, 5715 N. 19th Ave. Phoenix, 85015.
• Target shopping center, 4734 E. Ray Road, Phoenix, 85044.
• Target shopping center, 2140 E. Baseline Road, Phoenix, 85042.