Fifty-nine pounds of unwanted, unused, and expired pills were turned in Saturday, April 30, in Snoqualmie to help prevent prescription drug abuse. Local police took part in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day for the second year. The anonymous collection event was started to keep prescription drugs out of the wrong hands, and away from water supplies and the environment.

Nationwide, nearly 377,000 pounds of medications were collected this year, more than half again compared with last year’s total.

Pills are collected by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and disposed of according to strict guidelines.

The DEA has tentative plans to continue the program by scheduling an event every six months, an effort the Snoqualmie Police Department wants to support.