How to dispose of unwanted or unused medicines
Old and unwanted medicines around the home are a household hazard and can be dangerous if they are taken when they are out of date, not prescribed for you, or within reach of children.
Don’t bin or flush!
Don’t flush medicines down the toilet. Water treatment facilities can’t treat all chemicals in wastewater, resulting in contamination of waterways.
More stuff you shouldn't flush!
Don’t pour medicines down the sink. Household medicines contain highly soluble chemicals which can harm aquatic life if they get into the water system.
Keep these things away from your sink drain
Don’t throw medicines into the rubbish bin as they will end up in landfill.
You can return them to any community pharmacy, and this includes prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, herbal or complementary supplements, gels, liquids, and creams.
What happens to them?
The returned medicines are then disposed of safely by high-temperature incineration, in accordance with regulatory requirements. They are never reused.