Oak Park residents can dispose of unwanted or expired prescription medications for free, year-round, at two secure drop-box locations in the village.

The Oak Park Police Department posted a reminder on July 7 that a disposal box in the OPD lobby at Village Hall, 123 Madison St., is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A second box is located in the Oak Park Township parking lot at 105 S. Oak Park Ave., according to the Village of Oak Park's official prescription drug disposal page.

Both boxes accept pills, patches, and other solid-form medications. No liquids are allowed. No appointment or identification is required.

The Village notes that flushing medications down a drain or toilet can send trace residues into the water supply, making the drop boxes a safer alternative.

Opioid overdoses remain the leading cause of unnatural death in Cook County. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed at least 1,026 opioid overdose deaths in 2024, with fentanyl involved in 87% of cases.

More information is available at oak-park.us/safedrugdisposal.