Medication Safety First
Don’t bin it. Don’t flush it. Return it.
Thousands of Australians store expired or unwanted medications at home, creating accidental poisoning risks and environmental hazards. Learn how to dispose of them safely.
60%
of Australians keep unused meds at home
1000+
pharmacy return points nationwide
Free
through the RUM program
One small action. Two big benefits.
People
Reduces accidental poisoning and unsafe use of expired or unwanted medicines.
Planet
Helps keep medicines out of bins, sinks, toilets and waterways.
Medication safety is a cornerstone of personal health. We empower you with the knowledge to identify and manage expired medicines, ensuring that your home environment remains a safe sanctuary for your family's well-being.
Preserving Health
SAFE MEDICINE MANAGEMENT
Three reasons to return your medicines
Returning unused medicines keeps our water cleaner, ecosystems healthier and homes safer.
Clean Waterways
By returning unused meds to pharmacies, we prevent toxic chemicals from leaching into our local streams and dams.
Ecosystem Health
Pharmaceutical pollution disrupts the hormonal and reproductive health of aquatic wildlife. Safe disposal saves lives.
Safer Homes
Removing old medicines reduces the risk of accidental poisoning or misuse within your household.
THE JOURNEY OF AN UNUSED PILL
What happens to unused medicines?
Left Over
Course finished, script changed, or the medicine expired in the cupboard.
01
Wrong disposal
Flushed down the toilet, poured down the sink, or thrown in the household bin.
02
Into the environment
Wastewater plants can't filter every compound. Landfill leachate reaches groundwater.
03
Ecosystem harm
Traces reach rivers and marine life, contributing to resistance and biodiversity loss.
04
There is a safer path: Return Unused Medicines (RUM).
Australia's national RUM program lets you drop unused and expired medicines at any participating pharmacy. Free, no questions asked. Collected medicines are incinerated safely, keeping them out of waterways and landfill.
HOW TO DISPOSE SAFELY
A simple decision, every time.
Do
✓
Check all medicine cabinets regularly for expiry dates.
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Keep medications in their original packaging to avoid confusion.
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Take all pills, liquids, and creams to your local pharmacist.
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Remove personal information from labels before disposal.
Don’t
✕
✕
Do not flush medicine down the toilet.
✕
Do not pour liquids down the sink or drain.
Do not throw medicines in the general rubbish bin.
✕
Do not keep medications within reach of children or pets.
Sharps and needles should not be returned through the RUM program. Ask your pharmacist about approved sharps disposal containers and community collection points.
1
Gather your medicines
Check all cabinet drawers and medicine boxes for expired or unwanted medications in your home.
2
Visit a participating pharmacy
Nearly every community pharmacy in Australia participates in the RUM program
3
Hand them over. For free
Simply give your medicines to the pharmacist for safe disposal. No cost and no questions asked.
FIND A RETURN PHARMACY
Your local pharmacy is your drop-off point.
The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project is funded by the Australian Government and operates in participating community pharmacies nationwide.
SHARE MEDICHEQ
Put this QR code on prescription bags, posters, waiting rooms.
Pharmacies, GPs and hospitals can print and display the MediCheQ QR code. Turning every medicine handover into a moment of planetary health education.
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Prescription bag stickers
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Waiting-room posters
Medicine cabinet magnets
Scan · Learn · Return
medicheq1.net