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What to do with unwanted medicinesWhat to do with unwanted medicines

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How many out-of-date or unwanted medicines are lying in the cupboards in your house? Where are the left over tablets you stopped taking last year?

Dangers

We all understand the dangers that unwanted medicines in the house pose to children because of the risk of accidental poisoning. However, few of us think about the dangers they can pose to the community as a whole. Medicines past their use-by date may slowly deteriorate and become less effective.Medicines used by someone other than the person for whom they were intended may be unsuitable for that person, or they may interact with their other medicines and cause a harmful reaction.

Return Unwanted Medicines Project

So, what should we do with our unwanted medicines?

Simply putting them down the toilet or sink or in the rubbish bin is not the answer. Medicines disposed of via the toilet or sink may go through the sewage treatment process unchanged, which can pollute our waterways. Medicines disposed of via the rubbish bin usually end up in landfills, which can pollute our soils and air.

The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project is an Australia-wide scheme, funded by the Australian Government, that enables each of us to dispose of our unused medicines safely by taking them to a local pharmacy.

To dispose of your unwanted medicines, simply take them to any pharmacy (it doesn’t have to be the one you got them from). There is no charge for the service.

Image of a man putting tablets down the toilet Tthe pipes then lead from the toilet to the sea, killing the fish.

The pharmacy will place the medicines in a special yellow container. When the container is full, the pharmacy will arrange for it to be transported to a disposal depot where it will be destroyed in a high temperature incinerator.

Do your bit

  • Gather all the medicines in your house.
  • Check the expiry dates on all the medicines.
  • Check which medicines you still need. If in doubt, check with your pharmacist or doctor.
  • Take all the expired and no longer needed medicines to any pharmacy for disposal.
 

Further information

To obtain a brochure about the RUM project, ring Simon Appel, the Project Manager, on 03 9583 8699 or
1300 650 835, or visit the RUM Project website.

MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter for consumers written by consumers about using medicines wisely. Subscribe to the hard copy version using our online ordering system, or write to MedicinesTalk, National Prescribing Service Limited, PO Box 1147, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012.

Date published: 2008-11-01 00:00:00

Reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the date of creation. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified health professional. Health professionals should rely on their own expertise and enquiries when providing medical advice or treatment. Where permitted by law, NPS disclaims all liability (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or injury resulting from reliance on or use of this information. Read our full disclaimer.

References to brands should not be taken as an endorsement by NPS.