A prescription drug take back event held in St. Joseph on Saturday collected over a thousand pounds of unused or expired pills.

According to the St. Joseph Youth Alliance, that marks a new record for the take back event, which has been held in the spring and fall for about seven years in St. Joseph.

This year, 466 cars went through the drop off location in the East Hills Mall parking lot. Collected were 1,073 pounds of prescription pills, 115 pounds of needles, 68.5 pounds of prescription bottles and 23.5 pounds of inhalers.

The event, which gives residents the opportunity to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, is sponsored by the St. Joseph Youth Alliance, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Joseph Police Department and American Water.