Disposal Practices of Unused and Leftover Medicines in the Households of Dhaka Metropolis

Begum, Mst. Marium; Rivu, Sanzana Fareen; Hasan, Md. Mahmud Al; Nova, Tasnova Tasnim; Rahman, M. M.; Alim, Md. Abdul; Islam, A. K. M. Saiful; Nurnahar, Nurnahar; Tabassum, Nuzhat; Moni, Md. Marufur Rahman; Roselin, R. Reena; Das, Munny; Begum, Rayhana; Rahman, Md. Sohanur

doi:10.3390/pharmacy9020103

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Such disposal would be through the general-purpose bin (58; 77.0%), pouring them down the sink (11; 14.3%), via the toilet (4; 6.1%) and dumping in the gutter (2; 2.6%). These improper disposal practices witnessed in our study have been reported in several studies on the disposal of leftover and expired medicines among the households (Azmi Hassali and Shakeel, 2020; Begum et al, 2021; Kahsay et al, 2020; Kassahun and Tesfaye, 2020; Marwa et al, 2021; Osei-djarbeng et al, 2015; Wang et al, 2021). Furthermore, a review by Makki et al (2019) reported that unwanted and expired medicines are often disposed of through the garbage trash, toilets, sink and given to relatives and friends.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 77%

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

2022

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Improper and unsafe disposal of expired and unwanted medicines could cause harm to both people and the environment and therefore it is of public health importance. The objective of the study was to determine the methods employed by community pharmacist and their clients in the disposal of unwanted and expired medicines. Furthermore, the role of the pharmacists in the assessment of clients left over medicines was also explored. A cross sectional study design was employed with a sample of 120 pharmacy staff and 200 clients. Semi structured questionnaires were developed and administered to the two groups. Ethical approval was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v.24). Two hundred and eighty medicines were assessed from 131 respondents (65.5%) who brought their unused or left-over medicines to the pharmacy. These included analgesics 102(36.4%), antibiotics 50 (17.9%) and antacids 22 (7.9%). Disposal of expired and left-over medicines cited by respondents were the general-purpose bin 58(77.0%) and down the sink 11(14.3%). The majority 99(82.9%) of community pharmacies also disposed of solid dosage forms through the general-purpose bin. In addition, 90(75%) community pharmacies disposed of liquid waste in general purpose bin. Lack of enforcement of legislation was cited by community pharmacy staff as a barrier to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste. The predominant method of disposal of expired/unwanted medicines by community pharmacies and their clients was via the general-purpose bin. Implementation of interventions such as take back programmes that will enhance proper disposal of expired and left over medicines should be initiated.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 77%

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

2022

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“…This is a clear indication that the majority of the respondents were not aware of the medication take-back program. This result is comparable to the study conducted in the households of Dhaka Metropolitan, Bangladesh in which 72% of respondents were willing to participate in the medicines take-back program [27]. Similarly, in Tanzania [28] and Ethiopia [29], 96% and 78% of the participants, who did not know about the medicines take-back system, expressed willingness to participate in the program after the principle was explained to them respectively.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Assessment of knowledge, awareness and disposal practices of unused and expired household medicines in the Parker Corner Road Community in Liberia

Orok

Erah

Toe

2023

Preprint

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Background: Expansion of pharmaceutical industries and improved availability of pharmaceuticals across the world have contributed to an increase in drug usage and accumulation in homes. In Liberia, there are currently no guidelines that govern the disposal of expired and unused prescriptions among community residents. The objective of the study was to assess the level of awareness, and knowledge on disposal as well as disposal practices of unused and expired household medicines in the Parker Corner Road Community in Brewerville, Liberia. Methods: In a descriptive, cross-sectional survey conducted among residents of Parker Corner Road Community, face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire. Outcomes measured were knowledge and awareness of disposal as well as disposal practices of unused and expired household medicines. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Majority of respondents (55.6%) were female and 23.5% had university education. 71% of the respondents reported that they had not received any information on safe disposal practices while 64.2% admitted that they often did not read and follow and disposal instructions. The most popular disposal practices were disposal of the drugs along with household waste (61.1%) and flushing them down the toilets or sinks (25.3%). Majority of the respondents (82.1%) were aware of the environmental and human health effects arising from improper disposal of unused and expired medicines while 64.2% usually read medicine disposal instruction on the package. Only about 3% of them were aware of expired medication take-back system. 37% of respondents were aware that unused and expired medicines need to be disposed of safely while as much as 33.3 % knew nothing about medication expiration date. Conclusion: The study revealed poor knowledge and awareness as well as inappropriate disposal practices of unused and expired medicines amongst residents of Parker Corner Road Community in Brewerville. There is need to organize a public enlightenment programme on safe, appropriate use, as well as disposal of unused and expired medicines.

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“…These items were widely acknowledged by respondents in the present survey: small paper bags (42.6%), plastic bottles (49.1%), and small plastic bags (67.9%). Such packaging waste materials were not considered or mentioned in several studies conducted in South Africa [ 8 , 9 ] and even abroad [ 39 , 40 , 41 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to the results showing the different degrees of willingness to return unused medicines and associated accessories to hospitals and pharmacies, most respondents expressed a positive disposition towards playing a meaningful role in such medicine take-back schemes. However, the implementation of such programs in many developing countries is fraught with implementation pitfalls due to a lack of environmental awareness, necessary infrastructure, and willingness to pay for such programs [ 41 , 54 , 55 , 56 ]. This constraint also applies to South Africa, where there is no well-defined national legislative and regulatory framework to deal with discarded HPWs in a sustainable manner.…”

Section: Conclusion Implications and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Household Pharmaceutical Waste Management Practices in the Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Magagula

Rampedi

Yessoufou

2022

IJERPH

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Pharmaceutical wastes are expected to increase given the increasing population growth rates and rapidly rising economic burden of human diseases. This challenge calls for appropriate measures for the management of such hazardous wastes. The purpose of this survey was to document and investigate existing practices for the handling, storage, and disposal of household pharmaceutical wastes (HPWs) in the Johannesburg area. Primary data were collected via online surveys with self-administered questionnaires completed by respondents. The research found that 77% (n = 286) of respondents claimed some knowledge about HPWs. Types of medicines that contributed to HPWs included painkillers or analgesics (73%, n = 270) and drugs for treating colds and flu-related illnesses (52%; n = 193). Although there were a few exceptions, the respondents generally exhibited strong disagreements with environmentally unfriendly and health-threatening disposal practices. Moreover, most participants were willing to return expired medicines to pharmacies (40.7%, n = 151), whereas only 8.6% (n = 32) opposed this solution. Awareness levels tended to vary with employment status, educational qualifications, and place of residence. However, place of residence and household size did not correlate with types of pharmaceutical waste. Additionally, the study found that education attainments significantly influenced the willingness of respondents to return pharmaceutical wastes. Finally, there were no significant differences amongst respondents in terms of waste disposal practices. Altogether, the findings suggest the need for targeted efforts to bring about sustainable waste management at a household level.

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Disposal Practices of Unused and Leftover Medicines in the Households of Dhaka Metropolis

Cited by 22 publications

References 65 publications

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

Assessment of knowledge, awareness and disposal practices of unused and expired household medicines in the Parker Corner Road Community in Liberia

Household Pharmaceutical Waste Management Practices in the Johannesburg Area, South Africa

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