Saturday was national Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and two organizations teamed up to provide a safe way to dispose of prescription drugs.

The Erie Police Department partnered with UPMC Hamot and Western Behavioral Health in an effort to save lives.

Erie City Hall and the hospital were open to community members to give back their unwanted prescription medication. This event is sponsored by the erie drug enforcement agency and is held annually.

“Most of the people that come here to turn in their prescription medications are either expired or unfortunately maybe someone that passed. So they’re helping clean up the house they find all of these prescription meds they don’t know what to do with them. So this is a good opportunity for them to be able to safely dispose of them and make sure they’re not getting out there in the hands of people who would abuse them,” said Lt. Jamie Russo of the Erie Police Department.

Free narcan and drug disposal kits were also available.