Why is the safe disposal of medicines important?

• The MediBack service helps to safeguard the environment, avoiding negative impacts on crops, biodiversity and the contamination of our water system.
• The Environmental Protection Agency has set out the establishment of a nationwide system of safe medicines disposal as a key recommendation in its National Hazardous Waste Management Plan.
• MediBack supports Ireland’s One Health objectives by ensuring unused medicines are disposed of safely, helping to protect people, animals and the environment from the risks associated with inappropriate storage or disposal of medicines.

• Correctly disposing of antimicrobials such as antibiotics, is a simple but vital step in protecting public health. When unused or expired medicines are thrown in the bin or flushed down drains, they can expose bacteria to low levels of these drugs and contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance.
• Antimicrobial resistance makes infections harder to treat as bacteria can become resistant (sometimes referred to as superbugs) to antimicrobials threatening the effectiveness of these life-saving medicines.
• By returning unused or expired antimicrobials to pharmacies, individuals can help reduce this risk and ensure these valuable medicines remain effective for future generations.

Minimising the public health risks posed by medical products getting onto the black market.

Importantly, enabling the public to return their unused, leftover and out-of-date medicines to their pharmacy restricts access to unused medicines, thereby reducing the risk of suicide, self-harm and accidental poisoning.

Visit yourmentalhealth.ie for more information on how to mind your mental health, support others, and to find a support service in your area. The HSE Your Mental Health information line is a phone service you can call with information on mental health support and services and how to access them. Freephone 1800 111 888 anytime day or night.*