Reducing medication waste
Medication waste is a growing ecological, economic, and public health challenge across Europe. Unused and expired household medications are widespread in all EU countries, accumulating in significant quantities due to factors such as overprescribing, non-adherence to medication, lack of public awareness, and inadequate disposal systems. Between 10% and 45% of household drug expenditures are ultimately wasted. Improper disposal – often through household trash or flushing – leads to contamination of water and soil, contributing to environmental degradation and antimicrobial resistance. Despite this scale, systems for proper collection and disposal remain underdeveloped, and public awareness is limited.
To respond to these challenges, the international symposium “Minimizing the Ecological and Economic Burden of Medication Waste in Europe” is being held in Brussels on 26 June 2025, organized by the Medical University of Lodz in collaboration with the NCBR Office in Brussels, under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
