Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Research Articles

Management of pharmaceutical waste in the Babylon Governorate

Management of pharmaceutical waste in the Babylon Governorate

Comprehensive Assessment of Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Practices in Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality: Implications for Public Health and Environmental Sustainability

Proper management of pharmaceutical waste is crucial for safeguarding public health and the environment. This study aimed to comprehensively assess pharmaceutical waste management practices in hospitals, pharmacies, and households within Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda. The study employed a qualitative case study design, gathering data through observations, interviews, and questionnaires administered to five pharmacies, two hospitals, and 100 households. The results revealed that the mean amount of pharmaceutical waste generated by pharmacies and hospitals in Ishaka was 40.5 kg ± 32.39 kg per month, of which 26.83 kg ± 29.10 kg were disposed of safely. However, 60% of the waste was categorized as hazardous. The study found that while most facilities used labeled or color-coded containers for waste segregation, the practice of segregation was inconsistent, with 71.43% of the facilities not segregating their waste. Incineration (42.86%) and dilution followed by flushing in protected soak pits (42.86%) were the primary disposal methods employed by the facilities. Concerningly, only 4% of households returned unused or expired medications to pharmacies, with the majority disposing of them in dustbins (46%) or flushing them down toilets (41%). The findings also highlighted gaps in awareness and training, with 50% of pharmacy staff not receiving any training on proper pharmaceutical waste disposal, and only 14.29% of the facilities having established waste management guidelines. These deficiencies in knowledge and practices contribute to the suboptimal management of pharmaceutical waste, posing significant risks to public health and the environment. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive policies, targeted training programs, and community-based initiatives to enhance pharmaceutical waste management practices in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality and similar settings. Addressing these challenges is crucial for mitigating the adverse impacts of improper pharmaceutical waste disposal and promoting sustainable healthcare waste management. Keywords: Pharmaceutical waste, Waste management, Disposal practices, Awareness, Hazardous waste.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS OF IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF DOMESTIC PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Improper pharmaceutical waste disposal is a rising environmental pollutant around the world. Pharmaceutical waste disposal legislation and regulations are available to some extent but limited to industrial premises and health-care institutions. Information on the disposal of pharmaceutical waste in public hands, known as domestic pharmaceutical waste (DPW), is limited. This scoping review aims to comprehend the global practice of DPW disposal by following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guideline. Three online databases were searched for eligible articles: peer-reviewed in English language, describing the methods that the public disposed of unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals at home (DPW Disposal) and the public’s participation in their local DPW programs (DPW Program). Search terms were derived from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and free text when applicable. One expert report and thirty research publications were analysed. The articles originated from Asia (n=13), the Middle East (n=6), Africa (n=4), Europe (n=3), the United States (n=3) and Australia (n=1). Most pharmaceuticals are disposed of as household garbage (58.8%), returned to health facilities (17.9%) and flushed down the toilet drain (8.1%). There is a large range of diversity in public awareness (range: 14% - 82%) and participation in DPW Programs (range: 8.3% to 64%) with higher percentages reported from European countries. Existing regulations and policies have modest to moderate impact on proper DPW disposal. Our findings provide new information that may be utilised by policymakers in the process of laying the groundwork for a national plan outlining the most effective methods for disposing of DPW.

Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Current Practices and Regulations: Review

The improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste has become an increasingly important environmental and public health concern in recent years. Pharmaceutical waste includes unused, expired, or unwanted medications that can be harmful if they end up in the environment or are improperly handled. This can include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and veterinary drugs. Pharmaceutical waste can be generated by a variety of sources, including healthcare facilities, households, and veterinary clinics. Improper disposal of these medications can lead to water and soil contamination, as well as potential harm to wildlife and humans. In addition, pharmaceutical waste can contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and other environmental issues. To address these concerns, various disposal methods have been developed to ensure the safe and effective management of pharmaceutical waste. These methods include disposal in the trash, take-back programs, incineration, and landfill disposal. However, there is still a need for improved awareness and education on proper disposal practices among healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public. This review article aims to provide an overview of the current practices and regulations related to pharmaceutical waste disposal and the challenges and opportunities for improvement in this area. Through a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on this topic, this article will highlight the importance of proper pharmaceutical waste disposal and the need for continued research and policy interventions to ensure a safe and sustainable approach. Our article highlights the importance of proper pharmaceutical waste disposal and the need for improved awareness and education on this topic among healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public.

Tossing Your Tylenol: Supporting Sustainable Behavior in Medication Disposal Through Label Design

Pharmaceutical waste has proven harmful to society and the environment either stagnating in home medicine cabinets or seeping back into the ecosystem. This points to an unsustainable pattern of disposal of pharmaceutical waste. This paper presents the implementation of a user-centered design process paired with a sustainable behavior paradigm to address barriers to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste. The design process revealed that a lack of awareness of proper disposal methods is a contributing factor to improper disposal. Labels with images highlighting different strategies for the proper disposal of medication were prototyped. A message meant to motivate the user to properly dispose of medication accompanied the images. Three types of motivational messages (eco-affective, norm-based, and social implication based) were presented to assess their effectiveness and preference. User testing revealed issues with label interpretability and a preference for social-implication-based motivational messages. A final prototype incorporating user feedback is presented.

A Mathematical Optimization Model for the Pharmaceutical Waste Location-Routing Problem Using Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization

Pharmaceutical waste management is a significant concern that poses risks to human and environmental health. The ineffective management of expired and unused medications can harm individuals and communities. This study proposes a novel approach to address the issue of pharmaceutical waste management by developing a location-routing problem (LRP) model using mixed-integer linear programing (MILP) to optimize the collection and disposal of pharmaceutical waste. The proposed model aims to minimize transportation costs, construction of collection centers, disposal costs, and carbon dioxide emissions, making it a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable approach to managing pharmaceutical waste. Initially, the feasibility, validity, and efficiency of the proposed model are examined by solving the problem in the GAMS software using CPLEX solver for small-scale problems. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to ensure the accuracy, reliability, robustness, and usefulness of the mathematical model for decision-making. In view of the inherent computational complexity of the proposed model, which is classified as nondeterministic polynomial time-hard and poses considerable difficulties when exact solutions are sought for large-scale problems, the present study resorts to two metaheuristic algorithms, specifically particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA), as a means minimizing the computational burden. The results indicate that GA outperforms PSO in terms of objective function and solution time, with an average improvement of approximately 1% and 20%, respectively. The proposed model and algorithms provide a comprehensive approach to addressing the critical issue of pharmaceutical waste management, benefiting the healthcare industry, and society as a whole.

Environmentally Benign Nanoparticles for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceutical Drugs

A rapid rise in industrialization has led to the release of pharmaceutical pollutants into water bodies, rendering water inappropriate for consumption by humans and animals, challenging our efforts to achieve the clean water sustainable development goal. These pharmaceutical pollutants include antibiotics, anticancer drugs, antidepressants, etc., which are highly stable and persistent in water, in addition to being harmful to life. At times, the secondary pollutant that is formed after degradation is more potent than the parent drug. Conventional water purification methods cannot completely remove these pollutants. Hence, efficient and robust methods are required to degrade pharmaceutical waste. Photocatalytic degradation of drugs is deemed an efficient and effective method for environmental remediation, along with recovery of photocatalysts, which are important for recycling and sustainable use. Herein, we present the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) and their application for photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical waste as a preferred water treatment method. Additionally, green synthesis of photocatalytic nanomaterials offers the benefit of avoiding secondary pollution. The green synthesis of NPs is employed by using plant extracts that offer a number of metabolites as reducing agents or capping agents, as well as the use of microbes as green nanofactories to tackle the issue of water cleanliness with respect to pharmaceutical waste. Despite regulations concerning drug disposal, some underdeveloped countries do not enforce and practice these guidelines in letter and spirit. Hence, the current work presenting a promising water cleanliness method is expected to contribute to the assurance of strict policy compliance and enforcement, resulting in the resolution of the health concerns with respect to hazardous pharmaceutical waste disposal in water bodies.

Pharmaceutical waste disposal practices: a case study of an Australian public hospital pharmacy department

AbstractBackgroundIn Queensland, each hospital and health service (local hospital network) has its own waste reduction and recycling plan to comply with the Queensland Government's Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (Qld). The aim is to reduce both the hospital's carbon footprint and waste handling costs. Hospital environmental waste services staff do not audit pharmaceutical waste bins as this requires the presence of a registered pharmacist.AimSince previous published studies of healthcare waste disposal practices have not included pharmacy waste bin audits, this study aimed to investigate waste disposal behaviours in a hospital pharmacy department.MethodThis sequential, two‐phase mixed methods study was conducted in a metropolitan, tertiary public hospital's pharmacy department in Queensland. Phase I involved semi‐structured interviews of hospital pharmacists and pharmacy technicians while Phase II comprised bin audits of the pharmacy department's waste streams.ResultsThe bin audits revealed 36.1%, 23.8%, and 4.9% of recyclable waste in the clinical waste stream for each of the three bin audits respectively. In the general waste stream, the two bin audits of this stream revealed 14.3% and 44.4%, respectively. The reasons were identified in the interviews: there were no recycling bins in the main dispensing areas and there was confusion surrounding correct disposal of original containers and non‐contaminated packaging waste. Non‐paper waste was found in the confidential (shredded) waste stream in the two bin audits of this stream (10.1% and 16.7%, respectively).ConclusionProvision of commingled recycling bins and clean office paper waste bins in dispensing areas and education of staff on correct waste segregation processes will improve waste segregation in hospital pharmacy departments with both financial and environmental benefits for the hospital and the general population.

DESCARTE DE RESÍDUOS DE MEDICAMENTOS PELA POPULAÇÃO RURAL

Abstract Improper disposal of expired medicines and treatment leftovers can contaminate the environment and compromise the human health, however, the implementation of reverse logistics for medicines is a challenge for municipalities. The objective of this study was to characterize the medicines disposal by the rural population of the Correia Pinto municipality/SC. Study was quantitative, descriptive-transversal, with data collection in the field from the application of a questionnaire to 156 rural residents. The results showed that basic sanitation is precarious, as 64.7% of people consume untreated water and are not served by waste collection, although 94.9% use the septic tank as sewage treatment. A high percentage of the population (63.43%) reported the daily use of medication. About 75% discard leftovers from drug treatment and expired drugs inappropriately. The data collected can contribute to the implementation strategies of the reverse logistics system for medicines waste, in addition to show the gaps in rural sanitation.

Disposal of Pharmaceutical Waste by the Rural Population

Resumo O descarte inadequado de medicamentos vencidos e sobras de tratamentos podem contaminar o ambiente e comprometer a saúde humana, porém, a implementação da logística reversa para os medicamentos é um desafio aos municípios brasileiros. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o descarte de medicamentos pela população rural do município de Correia Pinto/SC. A pesquisa foi do tipo quantitativa descritiva-transversal, com coleta de dados a campo a partir da aplicação de um questionário a 156 moradores da área rural. Os resultados mostraram que o saneamento básico é precário, pois 64,7% das pessoas consomem água sem tratamento e não são atendidas pela coleta de resíduos, apesar de 94,9% utilizar a fossa séptica como tratamento do esgoto. Elevado percentual da população (63,43%) relataram a utilização diária de medicamentos. Cerca de 75% descartam as sobras do tratamento medicamentoso e os medicamentos vencidos de forma inadequada. Os dados levantados podem contribuir com as estratégias de implementação do sistema de logística reversa dos medicamentos domiciliares, além de mostrar as lacunas do saneamento básico rural.

Detection of multiresistant Gram-Negative bacteria associated with the irrational disposal of Pharmaceutical Chemical Waste, establishing environmental toxic impact on aquatic ecosystems in Araruama- RJ

Detection of multiresistant Gram-Negative bacteria associated with the irrational disposal of Pharmaceutical Chemical Waste, establishing environmental toxic impact on aquatic ecosystems in Araruama- RJ

Drug Disposal and Ecopharmacovigilance Practices in the Krowor Municipality, Ghana.

The use of medicines is a ubiquitous practice for the management of healthcare conditions. In the delivery of healthcare, medicines may remain unused and may expire within the various stakeholders in the pharmaceutical value chain. If these unused and expired medicines are not disposed of properly, they may result in the concentration of pharmaceuticals in environmental media contaminating food sources for humans and animals. Implementation of ecopharmacovigilance strategies will reduce the quantities of pharmaceuticals in the environmental media, reduce the potential for inadvertent consumption by humans and animals, and reduce potential pharmacological effects on the environment, humans, and animals. The drug disposal flow diagram (DDFD) provides an effective way of assessing the most cost-effective strategies to reduce environmental contamination. A combined method of desk study and questionnaires, both structured and unstructured was used. The desk study reviewed the institutional arrangements for the regulation of disposal of pharmaceutical waste in Krowor. The questionnaires were used to gather information from community members, community pharmacies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers in Krowor. The drug disposal flow diagram shows that up to 96% of pharmaceuticals are handled and disposed of in ways that are harmful to the environment with only 4% being handled in ways that are environmentally friendly. Forty-nine percent (49%) of generated pharmaceutical waste ends up in the local and surrounding areas, 21% contaminates the drainage system and 25% is discharged into receiving waters. Discussion. The DDFD for Krowor shows that engagement with community members and institutional healthcare service providers and strategies that result in separation of pharmaceutical waste from general household waste will reduce the quantities of pharmaceuticals that end up in the environmental media. The DDFD will support the effective implementation of ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) strategies.

Methods of pharmaceutical waste management disposal practiced in sanitation value chain by community pharmacies and households in Nkubu town

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pharmaceutical Waste Management (PWM) has emerged as a challenging issue, with both health and environmental negative impacts. The study assessed the common methods of pharmaceutical waste management disposal in Nkubu town among community pharmacies and households in the sanitation service chain. Problemstatement: Increasing disease incidence and prevalence necessitate healthcare practitioners to prescribe and dispense different medications. According to World Health Organization (WHO2010), more than half of all medications are inappropriately prescribed and sold, which causes unnecessary storage in community pharmacies (CPs) and households creating environmental threats that jeopardize efficiency of sanitation service chain. Methods: The study area was Nkubu town, where data was collected by use of structured questionnaires. size was 19 community pharmacies and 380 households. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results are presented in tables. Results: The study showed that 23.9% (n=91) of the households use pit latrines while 73.5% (n=14) of the community pharmacies use burning as the common methods of pharmaceutical waste disposal. Conclusion: The common method of pharmaceutical waste disposal being practiced in community pharmacies was burning while for households was emptying in the pit latrine. Disposal of unwanted pharmaceutical products through unsafe methods along the sanitation chain was prevalent among the respondents. Recommendation: There is need to create public awareness and establish educational programs regarding management and handling of unwanted pharmaceutical wastes among community pharmacies and households in Nkubu town. Key words: community pharmacies, household, pharmaceutical waste, pharmaceutical waste management , Sanitation, sanitation value chain.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of community pharmacists towards household pharmaceutical waste disposal.

To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of community pharmacists (CP) towards household pharmaceutical waste disposal. All pharmacists attending the Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild event held in-person were invited to self-administer a web-based survey. The response rate was 61% (168/276). Overall, community pharmacists have mixed knowledge (mean ± SD: 5.89 ± 1.38) and positive attitude (mean ± SD: 9.58 ± 0.81) towards household pharmaceutical waste disposal. However, few community pharmacists (18/168, 10.7%) have promotional materials encouraging safe medication disposal in their pharmacies. Community pharmacists do not proactively promote safe household pharmaceutical waste disposal to mitigate pharmaceutical pollutants entering the environment although they have satisfactory knowledge and attitude.

Minimizing the environmental impact of unused pharmaceuticals: Review focused on prevention

Pharmaceuticals are essential for human health, but they become an environmental concern when entering the environment which occurs when residues are excreted after consumption or when unused pharmaceuticals are discarded improperly. Although there are no developed detection methods for all pharmaceuticals that reach the ecosystem, certain groups have been proven to cause adverse effects on ecosystems, including increased mortality in aquatic species and changes in physiology, behavior, or reproduction. Particular attention is devoted to these groups of pharmaceuticals and their environmental impact. In this review, the authors suggest measures for the reduction of unused pharmaceuticals in the environment, with a strong emphasis on prevention. Various policy interventions are recommended across the lifecycle including source-directed, user-orientated, and waste management measures, to prevent the creation of household pharmaceutical waste and to ensure environmentally friendly ways of pharmaceutical household waste disposal. Preventive measures include rational pharmaceutical consumption, prescribing greener drugs, or designing pharmaceuticals that are benign and easily biodegradable, improved disease prevention, personalized medicine, enhanced dimensioning of pack sizes, and marketplaces for redistribution of unused pharmaceuticals. The next step is to prevent unavoidable waste to reach the environment, so proper collection and disposal of unused pharmaceuticals is of utmost importance. Finally, educating health professionals and the public and partnership between environmental and healthcare scientists are of vital significance in all stages of the pharmaceuticals’ lifecycle. Minimalization of the level of pharmaceuticals in the environment will benefit human life.

Household Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal as a Global Problem-A Review.

The negative effect of the pharmaceuticals presence (persistence?) in various components of the environment is a global problem today. These compounds are released into the environment as a result of, inter alia, their use and improper disposal. Therefore, it is important to reduce excessive drug consumption and to develop a system for the collection of unused/expired pharmaceuticals. The effectiveness of actions in this area is inextricably linked with the need to educate society on how to deal properly with unwanted medications. The aim of the study was to show that the inappropriate handling of unused/expired drugs by society is an important problem in waste management systems, and it impacts the state of the environment. Forty-eight scientific articles published between 2012 and 2021 were taken into account that discussed the systems in various countries for the collection of unused/expired pharmaceuticals. This literature review shows that the main method of disposing of unused/expired medications, according to respondents from different countries, is either by disposing of them in household waste or flushing them into the sewage system. This is also the case in countries with systems or programs for the return of redundant drugs, which indicates that these systems are not sufficiently effective. This may be influenced by many factors, including the lack or ineffective education of the society.

Fabrication of cobalt tungstate/N-rGO nanocomposite: Application towards the detection of antibiotic drug-Furazolidone

Pharmaceutical waste disposal, especially antibiotic drug contaminants, is a current topic to investigate in global concern. However, it is critical to recognize and detect due to its adverse effects on ecosystems and human health caused by excessive usage and poor management. In this work, the Cobalt tungstate/Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (CoWO4/N-rGO) nanocomposite was synthesized through coprecipitation and ultrasonication method and used for electrochemical detection of Furazolidone (Fz) antibiotic drug. The physicochemical properties of as-prepared CoWO4/N-rGO nanocomposite have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy/Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical behavior of the CoWO4/N-rGO modified electrode was explored by Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis. From the electrochemical analysis, the CoWO4/N-rGO modified electrode displayed an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards Fz and resulted in good reproducibility, high selectivity and long-term stability. The detection limit of Fz was found to be 0.022 µM along with a linear dynamic range of 0.09–799 µM. The proposed system is effectively applied for detecting Fz in real samples such as human urine and wastewater.

Methods of pharmaceutical waste management disposal practiced in sanitation value chain by community pharmacies and households in Nkubu Town

Introduction: Pharmaceutical Waste Management (PWM) has emerged as a challenging issue, with both health and environmental negative impacts. The study assessed the common methods of pharmaceutical waste management disposal in Nkubu town among community pharmacies and households in the sanitation service chain. Problem statement: Increasing disease incidence and prevalence necessitate healthcare practitioners to prescribe and dispense different medications. According to World Health Organization (WHO2010), more than half of all medications are inappropriately prescribed and sold, which causes unnecessary storage in community pharmacies (CPs) and households creating environmental threats that jeopardize efficiency of sanitation service chain.
 Methods: The study area was Nkubu town, where data was collected by use of structured questionnaires. size was 19 community pharmacies and 380 households. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results are presented in tables. Results: The study showed that 23.9% (n=91) of the households use pit latrines while 73.5% (n=14) of the community pharmacies use burning as the common methods of pharmaceutical waste disposal. Conclusion: The common method of pharmaceutical waste disposal being practiced in community pharmacies was burning while for households was emptying in the pit latrine. Disposal of unwanted pharmaceutical products through unsafe methods along the sanitation chain was prevalent among the respondents. Recommendation: There is need to create public awareness and establish educational programs regarding management and handling of unwanted pharmaceutical wastes among community pharmacies and households in Nkubu town.

Drivers and Enabler of Circular Economy in the Indian Pharmaceuticals Industry

India has evolved into a substantive base in the narrative of global pharmaceutical as a provider. Developing countries such as India however have been struggling with proper management and disposal of pharmaceutical waste. This has been causing rampant environmental pollution that was adversely impacting the ecosystem and human health. In this study, the circular economy model was adopted to find the drivers and enablers of the three Rs of waste management - Remanufacture, Reuse, Recycle in the context of Indian Pharmaceutical Supply Chains (PSCs). The study was anchored in the theoretical conversation of Stimulus Organism Response (SOR) theory. Data was collected using the survey method from 166 chief supply chain executives from various pharmaceutical companies based in India. The data was analysed with Smart PLS software. The results revealed that most of the green drivers such as regulatory pressure, customer pressure and public pressure have failed to drive the waste management practices in the PSC. Only, pressure from suppliers was driving energy and material input management in the PSC. Also, the other stakeholders (such as media, investors and NGOs) were the sole drivers for the safe disposal of pharmaceutical waste. Further, pressure from competitors and other stakeholders were driving the control of waste and emission leakages from the PSC. The results stated that Green Information Technology System (GITS) played a critical role in enabling waste management practices in pharmaceutical production. Furthermore, the study revealed that Internal Environment Management (IEM) was not just essential for the safe disposal in the PSC, but it also played a decisive role in controlling the waste and emission leakage. The study provided empirical evidence to support the SOR theory and helped to extend the scope of circular economy research to PSC. Additionally, it would benefit managers by fostering better decision-making to devise effective strategies for waste management.

End-of-life management strategies of pharmaceuticals in Portuguese households.

The end of life of pharmaceutical products through environmentally unsafe routes is a growing concern in our society. However, the studies reported so far, apart from being limited in number, do not reflect the current management practices for the end-of-life management of pharmaceuticals. Published work lacks an in-depth analysis in focusing on the pharmaceutical waste in households. The present work focused on (1) performing a state-of-the art overview to compare worldwide studies and the results and (2) implementing a comprehensive survey in Portugal (n = 454 respondents). The results showed that the delivery to pharmacies was used by the majority of the respondents (72%), indicating a good awareness of pharmaceutical waste management issues, when compared to the reviewed studies. Statistically significant variables for the destination of end-of-use pharmaceuticals include gender, age and distance from the residence to the pharmacy (p < 0.05). Most participants believe that educating the population on existing structures of medication and packaging management is of the utmost importance to improve the national managing system. This is the first study conducted in Portugal; it includes statistical analysis of the data and reflects on the practices that should be adopted to reduce incorrect pharmaceutical waste disposal. These findings call upon the strategies to strengthen the pharmaceutical waste management programme.