1Twenty80 Reveals
How do i discard medication as well as the needles used to test my blood sugar levels? the hospitals have special bins. do i need to have one too? why do i need to dispose it as recommended?
Dealing with disposal of medications is not as simple as our household wastes – they may contain residues of active chemical or biomedical compounds which may, in a collective manner, pose harm to our environment. Sharps waste that are contaminated with blood or bodily fluids are even more hazardous as there are risks of needle prick injuries to the responsible parties who handle our waste every day.
Draining medications into the sewage system will mean introduction of residues of active pharmaceutical ingredients into the water, thereby contaminating the aquatic environment as a whole. Should you ever wonder if our current wastewater treatment system is able to remove the chemicals efficiently, the answer is an astounding no. As with the conventional activated sludge system used in Malaysia, emerging evidence have shown that traces of pharmaceuticals may still be found despite treatment. Worse of all, it can be detected in our groundwater as well (1,2). In other words, you may be exposed to those very pharmaceuticals that you’ve discarded into the sewage system from our drinking waters and also the fishes you cook and eat as a regular meal, without realising it.
Therefore it is of utmost importance to dispose medication properly. Special waste and sharp bins are easily available in the market – you may even find it in on various popular online sales platforms. For the sake of the environment and your well-being in return, it is best to have them with you so as to ensure the sharps and those chemical wastes from pharmaceuticals are being managed properly. When you have collected a good amount of wastes and sharps, you may proceed to any public hospital or community clinic by bringing the waste bin along and request the kind assistance of the pharmacy department for safe disposal. Ultimately it will be incinerated by a licensed contractor.
References: https://www.iwk.com.my/do-you-know/sewage-treatment-system
Petrovic, M., de Alda, M. J. L., Diaz-Cruz, S., Postigo, C., Radjenovic, J., Gros, M. & Barcelo, D. 2009. Fate and removal of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in conventional and membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment plants and by riverbank filtration. Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences 367(1904): 3979–4003. doi:10.1098/rsta.2009.0105