Diagnosing Down-the-Drain Disposal of Unused Pharmaceuticals at a River Catchment Level: Unrecognized Sources of Environmental Contamination That Require Nontechnological Solutions
Barbara Kasprzyk‐Hordern, Kathryn Proctor, Kishore Jagadeesan, Scott C. Watkins, Richard Standerwick, Ruth Barden, Julie Barnett
Abstract
(propranolol) during down-the-drain disposal days. Actions are needed to reduce down-the-drain disposal of pharmaceuticals. Our recent work indicated that down-the-drain disposal of pharmaceuticals doubled since the last study in 2005, which may be due to the lack of information and messaging that informs people to dispose of unused medicines at pharmacies. Media campaigns that inform the public of how to safely dispose of medicines are key to improving rates of return and reducing pharmaceutical waste in the environment. The environment is a key motivator for returning unused medicines to a pharmacy and so messaging should highlight environmental risks associated with improper disposal.