Tops Reveals Year-Round Pharmaceutical Drop-Off Locations
Ahead of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 16th National Prescription Drug Take- Back Day, taking place on Oct. 27, Tops Markets LLC has revealed that 20 of its stores are now approved to collect prescription drugs.
Working with the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Williamsville, N.Y.-based grocer placed clearly designated disposal bins in each store’s pharmacy department, where shoppers can dispose of unused and unwanted medications.
“Tops is pleased to be able to offer this added convenience to the community year-round,” said Matthew Hamed, the company’s director of pharmacy operations. “We want to help be a part of the solution. Proper disposal of unused, unwanted and/or expired prescription medications helps not only protect our environment, but more importantly, saves lives.”
Consumers can safely and anonymously drop off prescription drugs at any one of the 20 designated Tops supermarkets any time of year during normal pharmacy hours. The stores are located in Niagara Falls, Amherst, Orchard Park, Buffalo (5), Depew, Olean, Jamestown, Tonawanda, Arcade, Batavia, Dunkirk, Baldwinsville, Syracuse, Greece, Dansville and Bath, N.Y.
Tops isn’t the only grocer to encourage people to get rid of unneeded prescription drugs: Kroger and Wegmans have also launched similar efforts in connection with the DEA initiative.
A National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day that the federal law enforcement agency held last spring resulted in the nationwide collection of more than 949,046 pounds of medications.
Tops operates 165 supermarkets, with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. Employing more than 14,000 associates in New York, northern Pennsylvania and Vermont, the company is No. 28 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
