Dear e-druggers,
In the well-known case of Bosnia-Herzegovina the cost of correctly
disposing of expired pharmaceuticals in Europe was quoted to us in
1995 as about �700 (about $1000) per metric ton. In the December
article in the NEJM (1997; volume 337 nr 25: 1842-45) a cost of $2000
per metric ton was mentioned.
These costs can be reduced by sorting out the materials, dividing the
actual medicines from the packaging materials, and separating out for
special destruction those categories of drugs which are most damaging
to the environment, such as disinfectants, teratogenic and
antineoplastic drugs. Controlled drugs and antimicrobials should also
be destroyed carefully.
More information is available in the draft interagency Guidelines for
Disposal of Unwanted Drugs, which is under preparation by the WHO
Action Programme on Essential Drugs.
Robin Gray and Hans Hogerzeil
WHO Action Programme on Essential Drugs
Emails: grayr@who.ch hogerzeilh@who.ch
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