Deterra Pouches Permanently Destroy & Dispose of Expired Medication At Home, Reducing Risk Of Adverse Drug Events
In an effort toprevent drug abuse, protect the environment through safe, permanent disposal of unused prescription and over the counter medications, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the Yonkers Office for the Aging (YOFA) has received 500 Deterra pouches from the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) for local distribution. The Deterra Pouches are designed to destroy unwanted or expired medications safely and permanently, making them unavailable for misuse and accidental ingestion.
“As the overdose crisis continues to change, we must take a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to saving lives,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “In the City of Yonkers, we take ourresponsibility to serve our seniors very seriously. It is our duty to continue to provide viable resources, such as the Deterra pouches, to our senior residents to help preserve their health and well-being.”
The pouches are easy to use at home or in a clinical setting. Each patented Deterra Pouch contains a water-soluble inner pod containing proprietary activated carbon. To dispose of prescription or over the counter medications, a user places the drugs in the pouch and adds water, which dissolves the inner pod and releases the activated carbon. The carbon binds to the active ingredients in the medications. Once deactivated, the drugs are permanently and irreversibly destroyed, unavailable for misuse and safe for disposal in the normal trash.
“Yonkers Police Department, many pharmacies and our Yonkers Hospitals offer means of disposing medications safely, however, we know firsthand how many medications remain in our seniors homes,” said Director Kelly Chiarella. “Our seniors are in danger of misusing the medications and too often these medications are misused by other family members, leading to addiction and overdose. We are a grateful to NYSOFA and OASAS for identifying seniors for this distribution.”
The Yonkers Office for the Aging (YOFA) will be collaborating with City Departments and nonprofit agencies in conjunction with the Mayor Spano’s Health Advisory Board to distribute the bags. For additional information or those who are interested in obtaining Deterra pouches, contact Yonkers Office for the Aging at (914) 377-6823.
Yonkers Office for the Aging provides services to Yonkers residents 60 years of age and over. There is no fee for any Office for the Aging service. Voluntary contributions are suggested for meals and transportation. Programs are funded by the City of Yonkers and federal and state grants through NYS and Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services.
