Customer Experience

RiverView Health installs medication and syringe disposal kiosks

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September 23, 2026

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RiverView Health has installed MedSafe medication and sharps take-back kiosks at its Crookston, Minnesota, facility, giving residents another place to dispose of unused drugs and used syringes, according to a KROX News report. The kiosks are in the vending area between RiverView Pharmacy and the Limited Addition Gift Shop. Filled containers will be sealed and transported to a licensed facility for incineration.

The project was funded through a $50,000 grant from Polk County's Opioid Settlement Fund to RiverView Recovery Center. It is part of the center's Bridging the Gap: Rethinking Rural Recovery initiative, which seeks to improve access to substance-use prevention, harm-reduction and recovery services, particularly for rural residents and people facing transportation, housing or criminal justice barriers. Before the installation, the East Grand Forks Police Department operated the county's only syringe take-back location.

The medication kiosk accepts Schedule II through V controlled substances and noncontrolled medications, but not illegal Schedule I drugs. The sharps kiosk accepts needles, syringes, lancets, pen needles and similar items, although users must place them in a container before disposal. RiverView officials said placing the kiosks in a health care setting could offer a more accessible and less intimidating option for people who are uncomfortable bringing medications or syringes to a law enforcement agency.