Kerala to launch 1st project on collection, disposal of expired medicines

The Kerala government is all set to start a programme to collect expired and unused medicine from homes and dispose of them scientifically.

In a first in the country, the State Drugs Control Department is launching a project to scientifically collect expired and unused medicines from homes and dispose them.

The project titled ' nPROUD' (New Programme for Removal of Unused Drugs) will be inaugurated by Health Minister Veena George on February 22 in Kozhikode.

As part of the project, unused medicines will be collected from homes or facilities will be provided for their disposal at designated places. This is the first time such a project has been launched and implemented at the government level in the country. It is being implemented for the first time in the Kozhikode Corporation and Ulliyeri Panchayat of Kozhikode district government is planning to implement it statewide,Veena George said in a press release.

"Expired and unused medicines should not be thrown carelessly into the soil and water bodies. This leads to antimicrobial resistance, health problems and environmental pollution. The Drugs Control Department has taken up this and implemented it because there are no adequate systems in place to collect or scientifically process such medicines", she said.

Several studies have indicated that unscientific disposal of unusable medicines leads to environmental pollution. Based on such studies, the Drugs Control Department has launched nProud to dispose of unused medicines by following the provisions of the Biomedical Waste Management Act and Rules.

Unused medicines are collected by visiting homes during certain months. In addition, the public can also deposit medicines in the blue boxes installed at permanent collection points. Unused medicines from wholesale and retail establishments and clinics should be brought to collection centers at pre-designated locations.

The project is being implemented with the help of local bodies and Haritha Karma Sena members.

The medicines collected in this way will be scientifically processed at the Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Limited (KEIL) waste treatment plant, which is approved by the Central and State Environment Departments.