Where do we dispose of medicines? Disposal of expired medicines

Everyone should know that when a medicine expires, its proper disposal is important. A standard trash can is not a place for medications! Unused medicines, expired medicines and other medical products should be sorted. Special containers for expired medicines can be found in pharmacies that have a contract with the office, and at selective municipal waste collection points (PSZOK). Find out why this is so important.

Why can't medicines be thrown into a regular bin?

Tablets and liquid medicines should not be poured into the toilet or drain. Medical products contain chemical compounds that the filtration system in sewage treatment plants cannot retain. This means that the risk of soil and water pollution increases. An expired medicine thrown into sewage or soil can also increase bacteria's resistance to antibiotics - they get used to constant, small doses. This in turn poses a threat to the natural environment and human health.

Medicines should also not be thrown into the regular mixed waste bin. They are not suitable for incineration in eco-incinerators, and accumulated in landfills they pose a threat to the environment - they penetrate into groundwater and negatively affect people, plants and animals.

Leaving them in the home trash can increases the risk of them being consumed by the wrong people, e.g. children. Lying in the medicine cabinet, they can cause a mistake and the intake of incorrect means.

So the question arises: where to throw away tablets, syrups and other medicinal products?

Where do we dispose of expired medicines and how should medicines be disposed of?

Where to throw away old medicines and medical products improperly stored or opened longer than the leaflet provides? Due to the possible threat they should be thrown into special containers for used medicines. You can find these in pharmacies that have a contract with the municipal office for collecting this type of waste. You must remember that medicines should be:

in original blisters (tablets) or screwed bottles (syrups);
deprived of external containers.

Waste segregation provides for different handling of ampoule syringes, syringes or used needles. To avoid the risk of infection with blood-borne diseases, they should be handed over separately to selective waste collection points.

Special containers - where to dispose of expired medicines?

Proper disposal of medicines must be sensible to ensure safety. So remember that:

tablets, ointments and syrups should be thrown away in a pharmacy or in selected clinics or hospitals, where for example container for expired medicines 65L or container for expired medicines 60L may be present;
ampoule syringes, syringes and used needles should be transported to a selective waste collection point, which is equipped with container for medical waste 120-240L.

Where to dispose of medicine packaging?

If we have used the medicine to the end and only the packaging remains after it, the matter is simple. Where to throw away empty medicine packaging? In their case standard waste segregation applies - they should go to normal containers: