The Department of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture informs that the Waste (Management of Waste Pharmaceutical Products of Household Origin) Regulations 2023 were published in the Official Gazette on 9 March 2023 with the aim of establishing a legislative framework for the management of waste pharmaceutical products from households, through the adoption of the principle of extended producer responsibility.
Under the Regulations, within 6 months, producers operating in the Republic and holding a wholesale or manufacturing license for pharmaceutical products will have to ensure the establishment of individual or collective systems for the management of waste from pharmaceutical products of household origin that they place on the market. The aim is to set up a network of collection points for the collection of pharmaceutical waste from citizens. At the same time, the regulations provide for the conduct of information and training campaigns for pharmaceutical product providers and the public on the role of the operation of the systems, separate collection, the prevention of the generation of pharmaceutical product waste and the need for its proper management, as well as information on the impact on the environment and human health of its improper management. This waste will then be taken for appropriate management to licensed management facilities. The costs for the installation and operation of the collection network and the subsequent transport and management of the waste will be covered by the producers through the collective or individual systems that will be set up.
As regards pharmaceutical product providers, they will be obliged to collect from the public medicines of household origin that are considered as waste and to provide information on the procedure for their return to the collection points.
The individual or collective systems will operate on the basis of a licence granted by the competent authorities.
