Abstract
Pharmaceutical waste is considered emerging pollutant that can contaminate water sources and underground water, besides is serious problem for waste management in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmaceutical consumption for human use and the way expired and unused medicines are disposed by the population. The study was carried out in two neighborhoods of the Lages, under outcrop of the Guarani Aquifer, in southern Brazil. In this descriptive and quantitative study, data collection occurred between August and October of 2018 via a questionnaire completed by 309 participants. The questions addressed about sociodemographic data, information on the medicine consumption, disposal of pharmaceuticals residue and about the basic sanitation in the neighborhood. The pharmaceuticals class most used were anti-hypertension and diuretics, indicating an elevated occurrence of non-transmittable chronic illnesses. About 68% of participants stated that there are leftovers of medications after medical treatment and 70.2% that there is expired medication at household. The disposal of leftover and expired pharmaceutical was in domestic waste, followed by discharged into domestic sewage. Only a small percentage (<15%) of the participants adequately dispose of their medication waste. The inadequate disposal of household pharmaceutical in the study area can result in contamination by chemical substances of the Guarani Aquifer and superficial waters.
Highlights
Drugs are essential to treat diseases and increase the life expectancy of the human population, disposing of unused and expired medicines is essential for the maintenance of One Health, that representing the interrelationship between health human, animal and environmental health (Kaur & Singh, 2020)
Antihypertensive medications were the class of drugs most cited by participants, used by 51.1% of the population sampled in Lages. This data indicates that the main health problems of residents of both neighborhoods, seem to be associated with the occurrence of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs)
This study showed that a high percentage of participants (58.9%) reported using at least one pharmaceutical in the month prior to the survey, as antihypertensive medications, analgesics, diuretics which are adjuvant medications in cases of hypertension and antidiabetic drugs
Summary
Drugs are essential to treat diseases and increase the life expectancy of the human population, disposing of unused and expired medicines is essential for the maintenance of One Health, that representing the interrelationship between health human, animal and environmental health (Kaur & Singh, 2020). Inappropriate drug disposal (leftovers, expired, and containers) can lead to several consequences such as accidental childhood poisoning, antibiotic resistance, negative impacts on wildlife, environment pollution and contaminate the surface and ground water due to its chemical composition and toxic properties (Falqueto et al, 2010; Bellan et al, 2012; Rogowska et al, 2019; Kaur & Singh, 2020). Pharmaceutical products are currently considered emerging contaminants for the environment, and some substances were found in Brazilian drinking water (Sodré et al, 2009; Locatelli et al, 2010; Montagner & Jardim, 2011)
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