Background

Following a series of trials prior to July 1998 the Commonwealth Department of Health provided funds to facilitate the collection and disposal of unwanted and out-of-date medicines from the Australian community. A total of $3 million was provided, over three years.

The National Return & Disposal of Unwanted Medicines Limited (ABN 79 082 871 663), a national not-for-profit company, was originally registered in South Australia, specifically for this purpose.

Known as the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project, the national scheme provides for unwanted and out-of-date medicines to be collected by community pharmacies from consumers.  The medicines are then disposed of by high temperature incineration, which is the EPA approved method of disposal.

This Commonwealth funded program addresses one of the fundamental impediments to the Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) in Australia, namely safe disposal.  While it is widely understood that hoarding of old and unwanted medicines can lead to the medicines becoming toxic or harming children if left lying around, and leading to both misuse and abuse, there has been no consistent means of disposal which meets State environment and hazardous waste guidelines.

The most common means of medicines disposal – down the sink or toilet, or in the bin – can lead to poor environmental consequences.

 Community pharmacies collect these medicines at no cost, and pharmaceutical wholesalers provide a generous discount in charges for delivery and collection of RUM Project containers to and from pharmacies.

The Federal Budget for July 2005 allocated over $6 million for a further four years to the project, with a funding review due in June 2009.

The RUM Project initiative represents a “world first” in the management and removal of unwanted and out-of-date medicines.

Simon Appel – Project Manager