Residents are encouraged to clean out medicine chests and dispose of unneeded medication for humans and pets at 14 Hampshire and Franklin county locations participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“It’s crucial to remain vigilant about removing drugs from homes to prevent misuse,” Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement. “It’s really common sense: In the midst of an overdose epidemic, prescription drugs must not be allowed to sit around. It’s much safer for children, teens and even pets to remove these substances from homes, not to mention our friends and loved ones struggling with addiction.”

Nine communities in Hampshire County and five in Franklin County are preparing drug collection sites staffed by first responders. These sites provide a safe way to dispose of unwanted and unneeded drugs, saving lives by preventing misuse or accidental ingestion.

The DA’s office teams up with local police departments, the Hampshire and Franklin sheriff’s offices, county-based TRIAD initiatives and the national Drug Enforcement Agency to organize the biannual collections.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day collection locations are at police stations in Deerfield, Hadley, Leverett, Montague, Pelham, South Hadley and Sunderland.

Other drop-off sites are:

■Amherst: Wildwood Elementary School, 71 Strong Ave.

■Belchertown: Town Common, Park Street.

■Easthampton: Fire bays at the Public Safety Complex, 32 Payson Ave.

■Northampton: Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, 80 Locust St.

■Orange: Walmart, 555 East Main St.

■Williamsburg: Williamsburg Hardware, 49 Main St.

■Worthington: Highway Garage, 64 Huntington Road.

Just under 70,000 pounds of drugs have been safely disposed of since 2011 during Take Back Days and through permanent drug collection boxes stationed at area police stations. These efforts rid the region of unneeded prescription and non-prescription drugs, keeping them out of water sources and landfills while also preventing misuse.