After 25 years, Warwick Plunkett has stepped down as Chair of the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project with Australasian College of Pharmacy CEO Amanda Seeto has been elected as his successor.
Warwick was part of the RUM Project since it began in 1998, working to ensure the safe collection and disposal of unwanted medicines. His leadership has been instrumental in making the program a success, with over 800,000 kilograms of medicines safely incinerated in the past year alone. Since its inception, the RUM Project has collected more than 13 million kg of unwanted medicines for safe disposal, which would otherwise have found its way into landfill or waterways, potentially causing lasting harm, or worse, finding its way into the hands of children.
Ms Seeto acknowledged Warwick's significant role in the program's growth and welcomed his continued involvement during his final year on the RUM Board. CEO of the Pharaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Steve Morris was re-elected as Deputy Chair of the board and is joined by Katherine Burchfield of Eli Lilly.
The RUM Project helps reduce the risks of keeping expired medicines at home, aiming to prevent environmental harm from improper disposal. Ms Seeto, like many pharmacy owners, uses RUM bins regularly in her pharmacies and takes every opportunity to educate patients about the importance of returning all types of unwanted medicines, not just tablets, for safe disposal.
The RUM Project recommends a three-step process to locate and dispose of unwanted medicines:
- Read: Go to the areas in your home where you store medicines. Read the labels, check expiry dates and review all medicines. Consider whether you actually need them.
- Remove: Remove all of your unwanted medicines from your home medicine area and place them in a bag or container.
- Return: Return your unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy. Your pharmacist will put your medicines in a secure bin for collection and safe disposal.
Watch the video to find out more about the dangers of improper disposal of unwanted medicines.
