Big Y Combats Opioid Crisis with Deterra Drug-disposal System

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Pharmacy and Wellness Centers, along with all Big Y Supermarkets, are now carrying the Deterra® Drug Deactivation System at all stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Deterra Drug Deactivation System is a drug-disposal pouch which allows people to easily and effectively dispose of unused or expired medications, even opioid painkillers, at home.

Anyone can use a Deterra pouch to deactivate drugs including pills, liquids, and patches. Simply add the recommended amount of unused medicines in the pouch, fill the pouch half-way with warm water, wait 30 seconds, seal the pouch and gently shake and dispose of in normal trash. Each Deterra pouch contains activated carbon, which firmly bonds to pharmaceuticals rendering them inert and unavailable for abuse. The Deterra pouch is the only environmentally sound, in-home drug disposal system that permanently deactivates drugs.

Big Y hopes to help combat the opioid crisis by stocking these deactivation kits in all of their stores to provide their customers with a safe and reliable way to keep unused medications from being diverted to abuse.

“At Big Y, we share everyone’s concern about the opioid crisis in our communities,” said Steve Nordstrom, Big Y Pharmacy and Wellness Center director of pharmacy. “By bringing these easy to use and highly effective Deterra Drug Deactivation pouches to all of our stores, we hope to empower our customers to prevent drug abuse by getting rid of their unused or unneeded medications, especially opioids.”

Currently, the pouches are on sale for the special introductory price of $3.99 for each pouch which has the capacity to deactivate up to 45 pills or six ounces of liquid or six patches.