Medicines need:

• to be disposed of safely to minimise this impact and potential harm.

All medicines (both prescribed and those bought over the counter) should be disposed of safely by returning them to a community pharmacy. Community pharmacies can ensure medicines are stored and disposed of safely. Any community pharmacy can take returned medicines regardless of where they were dispensed or purchased

Returned medicines are collected by the health board and sent for incineration. Although our priority is to reduce the amount of unused medicines, this will reduce the amount of waste and the environmental impacts. 

Medicines should never be:

• flushed down the toilet

• put in a household bin

• or disposed of by other means in the home e.g. burnt in fire/woodburner 

By doing this medicines can end up in landfill or water supplies and this is damaging to the environment and wildlife. 

 

Published: 16/07/2024 12:46