SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was a huge success over the weekend.

According to the Springfield Police Department, 593 pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs were collected on Saturday at Central High School.

National Drug Take Back Day aims to help communities dispose of prescription drugs safely. Opioid misuse remains at epidemic levels in the United States, so this is seen as a collective effort to save lives.

The Take Back program began in 2010 with the intent of removing expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs from homes where they could be misused, stolen, or abused.

Bringing unused or expired drugs to take-back locations helps stop pollution in the environment. As well as keeping those drugs out of the hands of vulnerable individuals