The Lehigh County District Attorney's office recently announced collection boxes where members of the public can dispose of unwanted, unused and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications have netted more than 1,800 pounds of drugs in the first year.

The MedReturn boxes, which are similar in appearance to mail boxes, were installed in 12 police departments in Lehigh County in late 2013 and early 2014.

The police departments had applied for the boxes through a grant program made possible by a partnership between the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The boxes were provided free to police departments that submitted successful grant applications.

A MedReturn box was installed in Lehigh Valley Health Network, Salisbury Township, in October 2014.

Detectives with the Lehigh County Drug Task Force pick up the discarded medications quarterly.

As of Dec. 31, 2014, 1,871 pounds of medications had been collected.

The collected medications are incinerated in cooperation with the Berks County District Attorney's Office through the Berks County Solid Waste Management contract with an incinerator in York County, an authorized facility designated to perform the destruction of controlled substances.

"It is clear that the permanent collection boxes have increased awareness of the serious problem of prescription drug abuse and addiction and the need to properly dispose of over-the-counter and prescription medications," Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin said.

Martin noted residents occasionally dispose of prohibited items, such as syringes, needles, Sharps or other sharp objects; intravenous solutions; lotions or liquids; aerosol cans; inhalers; hydrogen peroxide and thermometers.

The only items permitted to be deposited in the boxes are: prescription and over-the-counter solid medications, such as tablets and capsules; vitamins; samples; prescription patches; prescription ointments; nasal sprays; and pet medications.

Boxes are available at the following locations:

* Emmaus Police Department, 400 Jubilee St., Emmaus, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays;

* Lehigh Valley Health Network, near the pharmacy, 1200 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Salisbury Township;

A statewide location finder is available at www.ddap.pa.gov.