PHARMACIES across Victoria are taking part in a pilot test of a new Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) bin ahead of its national roll-out later this year.
The trial, which involves 50 pharmacies, aims to ensure that the bins remain as convenient as possible for pharmacists and those transporting them, a RUM Project blog noted.
"Upon successful completion of the pilot in a few weeks time, the new bin will be rolled out to all pharmacies nation-wide," a spokesperson said.
"A sufficient supply of new bins will be ready for all pharmacies to access as soon as the pilot has been successfully completed.
"The new bins will continue to be handled by wholesalers, so the process of ordering and returning RUM bins will remain unchanged.
"The new bin has been designed with increased security and privacy in mind -- for consumers, pharmacists, and those transporting the bins.
"The secure one-way entry will mean that once unwanted or expired medicines have been placed into the new bin, they will not be able to be removed again.
"This will ensure that medicine returned by the community gets securely delivered to the EPA accredited incinerators, where they will be permanently and safely destroyed."
The trial follows a recent study by Monash University which found incorrectly disposed medicines including antidepressants can find their way into waterways and impact on the behaviour of fish, making them more susceptible to predators.
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