Buena Vista County could soon roll out a traveling drug disposal program aimed at clearing out unused medications — and preventing opioid misuse before it starts.
County Public Health and Home Care Administrator Tracy Gotto outlined the proposal yesterday morning (Tuesday, Sept. 1), asking the county board of supervisors for permission to use opioid settlement funds to launch a countywide disposal and education effort. Gotto said the program is modeled after a successful initiative in Sac County and would bring medication drop‑off events directly into each of Buena Vista County’s eight communities.
Gotto told the board he developed the idea specifically to make disposal easier and more accessible for rural residents.
He said the plan is to set up at fire stations, libraries or city halls during afternoon or evening hours, giving residents a chance to safely dispose of expired, unused or leftover medications — including prescriptions left behind after a death or move.
Goto said the program would use RX Destroyer, a neutralizing product that dissolves pills and liquids so they can be safely discarded.
The outreach would also include education on opioid misuse, treatment resources and safe medication management. Gotto hopes to begin quarterly events and adjust based on demand. Sac County’s program, he noted, has already collected more than 14,000 pills.
Gotto said bringing the service directly into small towns could reach residents who may not feel comfortable dropping off medications at the sheriff’s office or who may not know about disposal options at local pharmacies.
He added that the program could be paired with fall flu clinics, cancer education outreach and free radon test kits. Public Health would promote the events through radio, newspapers, city water bills, social media and local community pages.
To launch the program, Gotto requested approval to use $25,786 in opioid settlement funds. Supervisors asked questions about staffing and tracking, and Gotto said an existing nurse and himself would run the events, with costs split appropriately between grant and opioid accounts.
Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the request. Gotto said he hopes to begin scheduling community events soon.
