The Tempe Union High School District hopes a new tool will help parents get rid of leftover prescription drugs in their homes.
It’s called DisposeRX and it’s a powder that, when mixed with water, is meant to turn potentially dangerous drugs into a biodegradable gel.
"So think about the gel anywhere between like a syrup and a rubber cement," said company president William Simpson.
The company said Tempe Union will be the first school district in the state to use the product.
"We would hope that the school and the parents use it as a teachable moment as well so that the next generation learns that disposal is a very important part of medication management," Simpson said.
Last year, Walmart started giving out free packets of DisposeRX with its opioid prescriptions.
District spokeswoman Jennifer Liewer said helping families safely manage prescription drugs fits into schools’ overall goal.
"We really are a partner with our community in raising students," Liewer said. "Our primary focus is always going to be to insure they have a good education, but overall we want them to be healthy and happy adults when they leave our schools."
The district received DisposeRX as a donation and it will be available to parents at upcoming community events.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct DisposeRX president William Simpson's name.
