The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project is a national scheme for out-of-date and unwanted medicines. The scheme urges Australians to return their medicines to their local pharmacy so they can be disposed of safely. Returned medicines are in no way reused or recycled.
You can take your out-of-date and unwanted medicines to any pharmacy in Australia. All pharmacies are equipped to accept all medicines.
Old and unwanted medicines around the home are a household hazard and can be dangerous if:
Consumed when they are out of date
Consumed when they are not prescribed for you
Within reach of children
In Australia, 50 children are admitted to hospital every week as a result of poisoning. In many cases this involves the consumption of medicines that are not intended for them. Returning old or out-of-date medicines to pharmacies will ensure they are disposed of safely.
Medicine blister packs (the packaging used for pills and tablets) should not be put in your household recycling bin. Empty blister packs can, however, be recycled through some pharmacies.
Pharmacycle has a recycling program for empty blister packs, with free drop-off points at various pharmacies across the country (there is at least one drop-off point in every state and territory). Participating pharmacies include all Blooms the Chemist stores Australia-wide and Chemist Warehouse stores in Victoria.
If you do not have a participating pharmacy in your area, there is also a paid service where you can post your used blister packs through the mail. Visit Pharmacycle to learn more and to find a participating pharmacy near you.
TerraCycle is trialling a free recycling program for all over-the-counter blister packs. It is available in select Territory Pharmacies in the Northern Territory.
Image credit: Pharmacycle
Empty vape cartridges, replacement pods and e-liquids (sometimes referred to as vape juice) can be safely disposed of through The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project at some pharmacies. Vapes often contain nicotine (even if it is not disclosed on the packaging) as well as other chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment if they are littered or sent to landfill. Putting used vape components in RUM collection bins will ensure they are disposed of safely.
Please ensure the battery inside the vape or e-cigarette has been removed before it is placed in the RUM collection bin as batteries are a fire hazard and will not be recycled. Batteries that have been removed from vapes can be recycled through the national battery recycling scheme, B-cycle. Find a battery recycling drop-off point in your area.
Single-use vapes cannot be put in RUM collection bins because the battery cannot be easily removed. Find out more about vape recycling and disposal.
Image credit: Melanie’s Recycling Hub in Victoria.
The safest and most convenient way to dispose of old medicine in Australia is through your local pharmacy. Australia has a national recovery scheme for old and unwanted medicines called the RUM Project (Return Unwanted Medicines Project).
How it works:
•Simply take your unwanted or expired medicines to any participating pharmacy.
•Pharmacists will safely dispose of the medication for you.
•This service is completely free.
Medicine blister packs (the packaging used for pills and tablets) should not be put in your household recycling bin. Empty blister packs can, however, be recycled through some pharmacies.
Pharmacycle has a recycling program for empty blister packs, with free drop-off points at various pharmacies across the country (there is at least one drop-off point in every state and territory). Participating pharmacies include all Blooms the Chemist stores Australia-wide and Chemist Warehouse stores in Victoria. If you do not have a participating pharmacy in your area, there is also a paid service where you can post your used blister packs through the mail. Visit Pharmacycle to learn more and to find a participating pharmacy near you.
TerraCycle is trialling a free recycling program for all over-the-counter blister packs. It is available in select Territory Pharmacies in the Northern Territory.
Yes, blister packs can be recycled, but they require special handling because they're typically made of a combination of plastic and aluminium foil. This means they cannot be placed in household recycling bins and must be dropped off at designated collection points to be recycled.
Pharmacycle has a recycling program for empty blister packs, with free drop-off points at various pharmacies across the country (there is at least one drop-off point in every state and territory). Participating pharmacies include all Blooms the Chemist stores Australia-wide and Chemist Warehouse stores in Victoria. If you do not have a participating pharmacy in your area, there is also a paid service where you can post your used blister packs through the mail. Visit Pharmacycle to learn more and to find a participating pharmacy near you.
TerraCycle is trialling a free recycling program for all over-the-counter blister packs. It is available in select Territory Pharmacies in the Northern Territory.
Not all councils will accept medicine bottles caps and lids in recycling bins, so it is best to check directly with your council.
If your council does accept plastic caps and lids in the recycling bin, here are some tips to ensure you are recycling correctly:
• If the cap/lid and the bottle are both made of plastic, you can leave the lid on.
• If the lid is made of plastic but the bottle is made of glass, it’s best to remove the lid and recycle it separately.
• If the lid/cap is smaller than a 10c coin, it is likely too small to be recycled and should be put in the garbage bin.
• If the lid has an inbuilt moisture absorber (check the underside of the lid), it is unlikely to be recyclable.
Medicine packets or blister packs (the packaging used for pills and tablets) should?not?be put in your household recycling bin. Empty medicine packets can, however, be recycled through some pharmacies.
Pharmacycle has a recycling program for empty blister packs, with free drop-off points at various pharmacies across the country (there is at least one drop-off point in every state and territory). Participating pharmacies include all Blooms the Chemist stores Australia-wide and Chemist Warehouse stores in Victoria. If you do not have a participating pharmacy in your area, there is also a paid service where you can post your used blister packs through the mail. Visit Pharmacycle to learn more and to find a participating pharmacy near you.
TerraCycle is trialling a free recycling program for all over-the-counter blister packs. It is available in select Territory Pharmacies in the Northern Territory.
