The recent collapse of the Bantar Gebang landfill, which claimed\nlives, serves as a stark reminder to rethink our waste management\npractices. Towering piles of rubbish laden with waste clearly pose a\nrisk of environmental contamination. Many of us may believe that\npollution stems solely from industrialisation and single-use\nplastics.<\/p>\n
However, another source of pollution often goes unnoticed: household\nmedicine residues. Medicines discarded in bins, sinks, or drains\ndirectly introduce active pharmaceutical substances into the\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
Unwittingly, this seemingly minor issue escalates into a major\nenvironmental concern. Easy access to health literacy and medicines has\nempowered the public to self-medicate. Consequently, households\nstockpile drugs for temporary needs. Data indicates that 79% of\nIndonesians opt for self-treatment for minor illnesses.<\/p>\n
Every household likely keeps stocks of flu remedies, painkillers,\nvitamins, and supplements. This is not unique to Indonesia; studies show\nthat nearly 77% of households in various countries store medicines at\nhome. Often, a single household may have more than ten types of\ndrugs.<\/p>\n
Importantly, medicines are not ordinary waste. They contain active\ningredients with specific pharmacological effects. If discarded like\nregular rubbish, these substances leach into soil and water. Not\nsurprisingly, medicine residues have been detected in rivers and water\nbodies in many countries. Though concentrations are low, long-term\nexposure to pharmaceutical residues still endangers environmental\nhealth. One of the most commonly cited impacts is antibiotic\nresistance.<\/p>\n
Antibiotics released into the environment can alter microorganisms,\nfostering increasingly resistant bacteria. These bacteria develop ways\nto neutralise or evade the drugs, rendering antibiotics ineffective. If\nunchecked, antibiotic resistance poses a global threat to treating\nvarious infectious diseases.<\/p>\n
As primary users, families bear the responsibility for managing\nhousehold medicines.<\/p>\n
To prevent the accumulation of medicine waste, the following steps\ncan be taken: 1. Routinely check medicine expiry dates. 2. Use\nantibiotics only as prescribed and avoid stockpiling them for personal\nuse. 3. Before disposal, separate medicines from their original\npackaging. Crush tablets or capsules first, then mix with absorbent\nmaterials such as coffee grounds, soil, or other organic waste, and\nplace in a sealed rubbish bag. Such simple methods can reduce misuse and\nprevent medicines from re-entering the environment. This information is\ncrucial for dissemination through the DAGUSIBU programme, an educational\nconcept by the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI) on proper\nmedicine management.<\/p>\n
Several countries have implemented take-back programmes for expired\nmedicines via pharmacies or health facilities, where unusable drugs are\nsafely destroyed. Since 2019, Indonesia\u2019s BPOM has launched the Ayo\nBuang Sampah Obat (ABSO) programme to manage family expired medicines at\ndrop boxes in partner pharmacies, hospitals, or puskesmas.<\/p>\n
Although the programme is not yet widely known, raising awareness for\njudicious medicine management is a positive first step. Ultimately,\nprotecting the environment does not always require grand actions.<\/p>\n
Properly managing household medicine residues is a shared\nresponsibility. Discarding a single tablet may seem insignificant, but\nif millions of households do so, the impact is enormous. Start caring\nfor the environment from small things, like how we handle household\nmedicine remnants.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/household-medicine-residues-and-our-responsibility-to-the-environment-1777258281", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }