By Caleb Lunetta | [email protected] | The San Diego Union-Tribune

A total of 28 locations will be available to San Diego County residents wanting to drop off their unwanted or unused medications on Saturday.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is once again giving residents the opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted or unused medication through the agency's 29th annual drug Take Back Day.

The drop off sites are being hosted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various venues, from police and sheriff's stations, to naval hospitals and city public works buildings.

"DEA Take Back Day is an opportunity to clean out your medicine cabinet and keep the community safe," said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. "Disposing of these medications helps prevent misuse and keeps medications off the street."

Participating locations will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs, officials said. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be sealed in their original container.

Illegal drugs and syringes will not be accepted.

Officials said that over the last two decades, the national drug Take Back Day has collected over 20 million pounds of unused medications, including opioids, which are one of the most frequently misused prescription pain medications in the country.

For more information about Take Back Day or to find a nearby location, visit dea.gov/takebackday.