Unwanted, out-of-date or surplus medicines should never be thrown in the bin or flushed down the toilet. Instead, they can — and should — be taken to any community pharmacy in England for safe disposal.
Why return medicines to pharmacy?
- Safety at home: Medicines that are no longer needed can pose a risk if kept in the home — especially for children or pets.
- Environmental protection: Flushing medicines pollutes waterways; returning them ensures they’re disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
- Reduce waste and save NHS resources: Medicines waste costs the NHS millions every year. Ordering only what you need and returning unused items helps reduce this waste.
What you should do
- Check your medicine cabinet — look for expired medicines or items you no longer need. This also applies for empty, expired, or unused inhalers!
- Take them (in their original packaging if possible) to any community pharmacy. Pharmacies are required to accept unwanted medicines for disposal.
- Do not throw medicines in the bin and do not flush them down the loo — that can contaminate water and harm wildlife.
- Consider reviewing what you order on repeat prescriptions or when you collect medicines — only order what you truly need.
Medication Recycling Schemes
- PenCycling is a FREE & easy recycling scheme for pre-filled Novo Nordisk insulin pens. Returning your pens to your local Boots pharmacy only takes a few minutes, but will have an impact on reducing the amount of medical pens taken to landfill each year. You can order your return box via PenCycle – You return it. We recycle it..
- Sanofi offer a free postal recycling scheme for their insulin pens. Just order a collection envelope online, fill with your used disposable insulin pens and post back to be recycled, free of charge.
- Insulin pump recycling schemes include Omnipod Eco Box, Mylife Diabetescare Eco-Product Programme and Tyvek take back scheme on the Accu-Chek consumables for insulin website pages
- Used or unused glucose monitoring sensor packaging can go in general waste. Once the Sensor has been placed on the arm, the used applicator (which contains a needle) and the lid can be screwed back together and can be placed in a yellow biohazard bag or sharps box. The used Sensors are not sharps. The used sensor should be removed and wiped down with disinfectant, and then disposed of as electrical waste (the same as a battery).
- Medicine blister packs are complicated to recycle as most of the packet is made from plastic but the top surface which is sealed to the plastic is made from aluminium foil. A recycling initiative for empty medicine and vitamin blister packs has expanded to 800 Boots stores nationwide. This scheme provides a convenient way for people to dispose of used blister packs responsibly, helping to reduce waste that would otherwise go to landfill. While the Recycle at Boots app offers rewards for participation, recycling is still possible without signing up. Other blister pack recycling schemes may also be available locally. See the recycle your medicine and vitamin blister packs pages or explore local recycling options. This is in addition to existing Superdrug pharmacy blister strip collections.
- CALPOL ® brand has introduced a freepost option for people to send used CALPOL® syringes to ensure these are recycled efficiently. Postal address and details on the webpage.
Over Ordering Medication
Ordering medicines when they aren’t needed can mean you end up with more than you need in your cupboard. Small changes in managing our medicines can make a big difference and help reduce medicine waste in West Yorkshire.
Medicine waste and throwing medicines away incorrectly not only costs money but also harms the environment.
Help stop waste. Check before you reorder and only order the medicines you actually need.
Only order what you need :: West Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership
