Flushing old medicines down the toilet can make the planet sick, so how should you dispose of them?

When’s the last time you tidied out the medicine cabinet? Maybe that’s too grand a name for the cupboard in your home that’s brimming with years-old tablets and creams. The next time you get the urge to clean, take a look. You’re likely to find half packets of pills, creams, lozenges and medicines, some prescription and some over-the-counter, well past their use-by dates.

Lubes, contraceptives, heartburn chewies, colic drops, head lice spray, worm treatments, antihistamines, inhalers, muscle rub, fungal nail cream, sinus rinses, HRT patches, corn pads – that’s the story of your life right there. Thanks for the memories – but just be mindful of how you dispose of some of them.

Why should I care?

Putting some medicines in your household waste, flushing them down the toilet, or pouring them down the sink is making the planet sick. Even small amounts of medicines can affect freshwater ecosystems.

Pharmaceuticals can be found in surface and groundwater across Europe, affecting crops and wildlife, says the European Commission. Failures in the production and disposal of pharmaceuticals are affecting the behaviour of fish and animals and their ability to reproduce, says the commission.

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Flushing old medicines down the toilet can make the planet sick, so how should you dispose of them?

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Disposing of medicines in your rubbish bin means that they could be accessed by children or pets.

Think of yourself

If you’re not bothered about the fish, then think of yourself. Drug-resistant bacteria is one of the big health threats worldwide. This is where bacteria morph to resist the antibiotics that are used to treat them.

We are lucky to have medicines, of course, but they have an environmental impact. Industry has a huge part to play and must be held to account. Consumers can do their bit by using and disposing of medicines carefully. Stopping pharmaceuticals entering our rivers and soils benefits everyone.

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So what can I do?

You could return unused or unwanted medicines to your pharmacy – some community pharmacies will accept them no questions asked. You can also dispose of them at your local civic amenity site if it accepts this type of waste. Check out Mywaste.ie or your council’s website for bring centres near you.

Search for a HSE Dispose of Unused Medicines Properly (Dump) campaign in your area. The HSE periodically invites the public to bring unused or out-of-date medicines to a dedicated dump site. A Dump campaign in Waterford last year saw 32,800 pills returned.

Take medicines as directed

If you get a course of antibiotics, complete it, says the HSE. When you don’t complete the course, or you share them with someone, not all bacteria is destroyed and more resistant bacteria survive and multiply. These drug-resistant bacteria then make it harder to prevent and treat infections because fewer antibiotics are effective against them. This is a serious threat to global public health. Completing the course of antibiotics as directed by your doctor means there should be no half-packets lying around.

Think before spending

Prescription medicines aside, you’ve probably got a load of over-the-counter supplements and creams in your house too. We can all get suckered into buying heavily packaged, pseudo-medical remedies of questionable effectiveness.

Yes, buying lemon drinks, lozenges and scented tissues can make an occasion of your common or garden cold, but rest and fluids might be just as effective. Consult a GP or a reputable source such as HSE.ie before adding even more to your medicine cabinet.

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