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Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices

Although pharmaceuticals treat illnesses and prevent diseases in humans and animals, ironically, they are now among the emerging pollutants in the environment. As individuals continue to consume medicines, households can become a primary source of pharmaceutical pollutants. This paper explains relev...

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Main Authors: Ariffin, Mariani, Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2019
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/80079/1/Household%20pharmaceutical%20waste%20disposal%20in%20Selangor%2C%20Malaysia%20-%20policy%2C%20public%20perception%2C%20and%20current%20practices.pdf
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spelling oai:psasir.upm.edu.my:80079 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/80079/ Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices Ariffin, Mariani Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun Although pharmaceuticals treat illnesses and prevent diseases in humans and animals, ironically, they are now among the emerging pollutants in the environment. As individuals continue to consume medicines, households can become a primary source of pharmaceutical pollutants. This paper explains relevant Malaysian law and policy on the issue. Using a questionnaire survey, it also assesses public perception concerning the environmental impact of pharmaceutical waste and the current methods of disposal that are practiced in Selangor. The survey used a convenience sampling and the data collected were analysed using statistical descriptive analysis. Most of the participants were aware that pharmaceutical waste can have an adverse impact on the environment and public health. Half of the participants disposed of their pharmaceutical waste in trash bins. About 2.9% of the respondents poured their household pharmaceutical waste (HPW) directly down the drain, while 8.8% poured them down the sink in the kitchen or toilet. The study also discovered that while 73.8% of the respondents felt that HPW should be separated from other household solid waste, only 25.2% returned their medicinal waste through the medicine return-back programme. The majority of the respondents (82.5%) agreed that information concerning the proper disposal of HPW is insufficient. The study concludes that while the respondents were aware of the adverse impact of HPW, their practices to ensure proper disposal is discouraging. There is a need for effective unwanted medicines return-back programme as a more prudent disposal method of HPW to avoid any risk to the environment or human health. Springer 2019 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/80079/1/Household%20pharmaceutical%20waste%20disposal%20in%20Selangor%2C%20Malaysia%20-%20policy%2C%20public%20perception%2C%20and%20current%20practices.pdf Ariffin, Mariani and Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun (2019) Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices. Environmental Management, 64 (4). pp. 509-519. ISSN 0364-152X; ESSN: 1432-1009 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00267-019-01199-y 10.1007/s00267-019-01199-y
institution UPM IR
collection UPM IR
language English
description Although pharmaceuticals treat illnesses and prevent diseases in humans and animals, ironically, they are now among the emerging pollutants in the environment. As individuals continue to consume medicines, households can become a primary source of pharmaceutical pollutants. This paper explains relevant Malaysian law and policy on the issue. Using a questionnaire survey, it also assesses public perception concerning the environmental impact of pharmaceutical waste and the current methods of disposal that are practiced in Selangor. The survey used a convenience sampling and the data collected were analysed using statistical descriptive analysis. Most of the participants were aware that pharmaceutical waste can have an adverse impact on the environment and public health. Half of the participants disposed of their pharmaceutical waste in trash bins. About 2.9% of the respondents poured their household pharmaceutical waste (HPW) directly down the drain, while 8.8% poured them down the sink in the kitchen or toilet. The study also discovered that while 73.8% of the respondents felt that HPW should be separated from other household solid waste, only 25.2% returned their medicinal waste through the medicine return-back programme. The majority of the respondents (82.5%) agreed that information concerning the proper disposal of HPW is insufficient. The study concludes that while the respondents were aware of the adverse impact of HPW, their practices to ensure proper disposal is discouraging. There is a need for effective unwanted medicines return-back programme as a more prudent disposal method of HPW to avoid any risk to the environment or human health.
format Article
author Ariffin, Mariani
Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun
spellingShingle Ariffin, Mariani
Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun
Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
author_facet Ariffin, Mariani
Tengku Zakili, Tengku Sahbanun
author_sort Ariffin, Mariani
title Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
title_short Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
title_full Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
title_fullStr Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
title_full_unstemmed Household pharmaceutical waste disposal in Selangor, Malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
title_sort household pharmaceutical waste disposal in selangor, malaysia - policy, public perception, and current practices
publisher Springer
publishDate 2019
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/80079/1/Household%20pharmaceutical%20waste%20disposal%20in%20Selangor%2C%20Malaysia%20-%20policy%2C%20public%20perception%2C%20and%20current%20practices.pdf
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score 12.935284

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