By Elen Jones, RPS Director for Wales
In our modern world, the easy accessibility of medicines has become an integral part of our lives. However, with this we have the responsibility of proper disposal of medicines, to ensure the safety of both our environment and our health. The consequences of improper disposal of medicines are far-reaching and can impact not only aquatic life but also human health.
Why flushing medicines down the drain is dangerous
It’s a common misconception that pouring expired or unused medicines down the toilet is a harmless solution. It’s important to note that medicines, whether out of date or not, should never be flushed down or thrown down a drain or sink. This is because the majority of wastewater treatment plants do not fully remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater, leading to traces of pharmaceuticals entering our water systems.
Marine life is particularly vulnerable to even minuscule amounts of pharmaceuticals. Exposure to these chemicals can disrupt the hormonal balance in aquatic organisms. For example, pollution of waters with female hormones can result in male fish becoming feminised. Other effects on marine life from medicines entering water include reduced reproduction capability, behaviour and physiological changes.
The implications for humans are equally concerning. Residual pharmaceuticals in water contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR being one of the most significant public health threats in the coming decades, the World Health Organization has warned that it could undermine a century of medical advancements, making routine medical procedures like surgery and chemotherapy more high risk.
Safe disposal solution through community pharmacies
Due to these worrying effects on both human and marine life, it’s therefore so important that we never dispose of medicines - in either tablet or liquid form - down a sink, toilet or drain. Instead, returning unwanted or expired medicines to community pharmacies is the recommended course of action. Pharmacies are equipped to handle the safe disposal of pharmaceuticals, preventing potential risks to people and the environment.
Risk of improper bin disposal
Improperly throwing medicines in the bin carries its own set of dangers. Medicines left in the bin can be found easily by children, animals or those they are not intended for. The solution remains consistent: take any unused or unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.
Navigating blister pack disposal
Medicines are often packaged in blister packs, designed to avoid them being crushed or damages and to protect them from external elements such as water or humidity. The complexity of these packs unfortunately makes their recycling challenging. While the traditional household recycling isn’t suitable for blister packs due to their composition, there are initiatives in place like Terracycle’s Medicine Packet Recycling Programme.
Terracycle’s program offers a solution by allowing empty medicine blister packs to be dropped off at participating pharmacies. These packs undergo specialised recycling, where they are cleaned, sorted by polymer type and transformed into plastic pellets for new products. Although this service isn’t available universally, advocating for its expansion in your community can contribute to more responsible blister pack disposal. For pharmacists, investing in a Terracyle recycling box for your community pharmacy or hospital pharmacy department can be a great way to play your part to make pharmacy and medicines use more sustainable.
Collective responsibility
Proper disposal of medicines is a shared responsibility that goes beyond individual actions. By returning unused medicines to community pharmacies and advocating for innovative recycling programs, we can safeguard our environment, protect aquatic life and reduce risks to human health.
Read RPS policy on sustainability.
Read more RPS blogs.