Medicines Waste Disposal

Don't know what to do with your used needles? Have you had your Medication changed and been left with waste medication?
 
Each year enormous quantities of unused and expired medications are dumped into bins or flushed down toilets and sinks. The effects on the environment and human health are still unclear but evidence is pointing to the presence of chemicals from prescriptions and over-the-counter medications in soil, drinking water and the surrounding environment. Just as proper medication administration is important, so is safe and cautious disposal.
 
You can help to identify old drugs and make drug disposal safer by:
 •  Regularly go through your medicine cabinet and dispose of old drugs that are not required.
 •  Check expiry dates and immediately discard those with passed expiration dates.
 •  If you are uncertain whether a drug is still safe to take, check with your pharmacist.

Don't automatically throw expired or unused medications into the garbage or down the sink or toilet. Because there is evidence indicating that flushing over-the-counter and prescription drugs into the water system has a harmful effect on the environment, it is important that each person does his or her part to safely dispose of drugs in an environmentally-safe manner. Any unwanted medication should be returned to your community pharmacy for safe disposal. All pharmacies can accept any unwanted medication for disposal, it doesn’t matter where you got the medication from.

Medicines wastage is as serious and growing problem in the NHS. Sometimes, patients or carers with repeat prescriptions continue to get more medicines than they really need and stockpile them at home. This wastes millions of pounds and huge quantities of medicines. Unused prescription medicines cost the NHS across the North West over £40 million every year. You can help to reduce waste medication by ensuring that you only order what you need from your doctor. Let your GP or pharmacist know if you have stopped taking any of your medication, check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering, only order those medications that you need, if you do not need a medication do not order it, you will still be able to order the medication in the future, if you need to go to hospital take all your prescription medicines with you.
Remember your medicines are prescribed for you; it is not safe to share them. If you no longer need a prescribed medication take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal. Unused medicines kept at home are a safety risk for children and others who might take them.
 
Effects of Unsafe Drug Disposal on the Environment

Recycling

Mercury Bulb Thermometer Disposal

Needles, Glass Bottles and Similar Medicine Paraphernalia


If you require further information or want to speak to one of our Pharmacists or feel free to call us on 02476-404177 (option 4)