Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India]: The Kerala government is set to launch an initiative to collect expired and unused medicines from households and dispose of them scientifically.
In a first-of-its-kind move in India, the State Drugs Control Department has introduced the ‘nPROUD’ (New Programme for Removal of Unused Drugs) project, which will be inaugurated by Health Minister Veena George on February 22 in Kozhikode.
As part of the initiative, unused medicines will either be collected directly from homes or disposed of at designated collection points. This marks the first time such a project is being launched and implemented at the government level in the country. Initially, the project will be rolled out in the Kozhikode Corporation and Ulliyeri Panchayat of Kozhikode district, with plans to expand it statewide, according to a press release by Veena George.
“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 initiative because there are no adequate systems in place to collect or scientifically process such medicines,” she said.
Studies have shown that improper disposal of medicines contributes to environmental pollution. In response to these findings, the Drugs Control Department has launched nPROUD, ensuring that disposal follows the provisions of the Biomedical Waste Management Act and Rules.
Unused medicines will be collected from households at scheduled times, while the public can also deposit them in designated blue collection boxes at permanent drop-off points. Wholesale and retail pharmaceutical establishments, as well as clinics, must bring unused medicines to pre-assigned collection centers.
The initiative is being implemented with the support of local bodies and Haritha Karma Sena members. The collected medicines will be scientifically processed at the Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Limited (KEIL) waste treatment facility, which has been approved by both Central and State Environment Departments.