A Whatcom County Sheriff's Office deputy was stationed at the Birch Bay Library on Saturday, April 25, as part of the DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The community-facing event ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and gave Birch Bay residents a nearby location to safely surrender unused, expired, or unwanted prescription drugs without having to travel to Bellingham or another larger city.
Birch Bay is a coastal community in the northwestern corner of Whatcom County, south of Blaine along Birch Bay Drive. It is largely a residential area, with a mix of year-round residents and seasonal visitors, and it sits outside the urban core where pharmacy drop-off boxes and other drug disposal resources are more commonly available. Bringing a collection site directly to the local library is a practical recognition that rural and semi-rural Whatcom communities need the same access to safe disposal infrastructure as Bellingham proper.
The deputy stood next to a white Sheriff's Office pickup truck and a clearly marked collection bin outside the library building. Residents could pull up, hand over medications anonymously, and be on their way in minutes. No identification was required, no questions were asked, and the disposal was entirely free. The setup mirrors the format used at DEA Take Back events across the country, where the goal is to make the process as low-friction as possible.
The DEA's National Take Back program has now been running for more than 15 years. Nationwide, it has collected well over 16 million pounds of medications since 2010, removing a significant source of misuse from homes across the country. The program's dual focus is prevention and environmental protection: keeping medications out of the wrong hands, and out of water systems where flushed drugs accumulate and affect aquatic ecosystems.
Birch Bay Library is located at 5101 Birch Bay-Lynden Road and serves the surrounding unincorporated Birch Bay area. The Whatcom County Library System operates the branch, and the library's visibility and central location in the neighborhood made it a natural choice for the take-back collection point. The Northern Light, a community newspaper covering the Blaine and Birch Bay areas, has previously covered Take Back Day events at this location, noting strong community participation each time it has been offered.
For residents who missed Saturday's collection window, year-round prescription drug drop boxes are available at select pharmacies throughout Whatcom County and at law enforcement facilities. Washington State Department of Health maintains a statewide map of safe medication disposal sites for anyone needing ongoing access. The DEA also holds Take Back Day events twice yearly, with the next installment typically scheduled for October.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office has continued to expand its community outreach work in 2026, including volunteer recognition programs and public safety education initiatives. Full coverage of the Sheriff's Office participation in National Volunteer Week, including recognition of the county's 200-plus search and rescue volunteers, is available here.
More information about the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and its community programs can be found on the county website. Residents with questions about permanent drug disposal locations in Whatcom County can call the Sheriff's non-emergency line for a referral to the nearest drop box.
