Medical waste disposal gets a ‘box’ solution

Thiruvananthapuram: As part of providing a solution to the issue of unused and expired drugs polluting soil and waterbodies, state drugs department had recently placed 20 collection boxes at medical shops in front of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College under its PROUD initiative. In the next stage, the collection boxes will be placed in apartment complexes near Kowdiar, Karamana and General Hospital.
In the boxes people can discard capsules, ointments, tablets and syrups along with partly-used tablets and ointment tubes. Strips of used tablets, syrup bottles and ointment tubes are collected by the corporation. There will be collection drive twice a year for taking the medical waste.
All Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association has taken up the responsibility of ensuring maintenance and upkeep of collection boxes. “Kerala, the most drug-consuming state in the country, doesn’t have a scientific way to dispose unused drugs. They are disposed unscientifically in waterbodies or buried and this leads to human health and environment issues. Our method will find a permanent solution to these issues,” said state drug controller Ravi S Menon.
The contract to collect unused and expired drugs has been given to an agency (Ramky Energy and Environment) which has agreed to dispose the lot scientifically. PROUD is using the fund provided by the state government, which will review the reach and success of the programme.
Menon said collection boxes, which were placed on April 15, were getting a good response. “The boxes haven’t filled up and by the end of the month we are expecting to collect a sizeable quantity of waste. People now know this programme and we are planning more boxes in residential areas,” he added.
Doctors, medical representatives and distributors are consulting PROUD to dispose their collection of unused and expired drugs. In the next phase, boxes will be placed in front of government offices and the Secretariat after a talk with government officials. Kudumbashree has been told to clear these boxes when they are filled. Boxes will be available in identified places after checking the feedback by drug department.
The initiative will be a relief to people living in apartments. “We burn all such drugs along with sanitary waste. Though it is unhygienic, we have no alternatives. This box idea might work out,” said Simon D’Cruz, secretary, Samrudhi Thampurans’ Owners association, Thampuranmukku.