Pharmacycle: the new blister pack recycling option
Pharmacist Jeremy Elias is excited about the future. It’s a future in which Australia is a little bit greener, a little bit healthier and we’re using our resources smarter. Elias and his pharmacy, Terry White Chemist in Cheltenham – in Melbourne’s outer south-east – have recently signed up to the new Pharmacycle program, which collects […]
Will you help us give a gift to the planet this Christmas?
Since The RUM Project started 24 years ago, we have collected and disposed of over 12 million kgs of unwanted medicine, but there is more out there. This festive season we’re asking for a gift to the planet. Please help us raise awareness of our free and convenient service, available through local pharmacies across Australia. […]
Interview with pharmacist Amanda Seeto
How pharmacists’ work has changed: Interview with pharmacist and nominated director of the Pharmacy Guild on the RUM board, Amanda Seeto Over the course of her 20-plus career as a pharmacist, Amanda Seeto has witnessed a shift in how pharmacy has evolved. “There’s been some really big, positive changes. I’ve seen pharmacies move from the […]
The RUM Project teams up with Sanofi Australia
Return Unwanted Medicine (The RUM Project) is encouraging all Australians to show their enthusiasm for protecting our precious environment by safely disposing of their unwanted or expired medicines by using The RUM Project’s national network of free disposal bins at pharmacies across the country. RUM has partnered with healthcare company Sanofi Australia in a brand […]
Animal Medicine Australia joins RUM to encourage safe disposal of pet medication
Press Release: #DYK YOU CAN RETURN UNWANTED VETERINARY MEDICINES TO THE PHARMACY FOR SAFE DISPOSAL? When it comes to discarding unused, unwanted or expired medicines, Australia is a nation of hoarders, according to a study from Griffith University. The 2018 study “You don’t throw these things out: an exploration of medicines retention and disposal practices […]
A guide to disposing of medicines
Did you know that you can return a whole host of medicines to your local pharmacy, for safe and environmentally friendly disposal in the RUM bin? Medicines that can be returned to your pharmacy Discover the kinds of medicine you can safely dispose of below. Any prescription medicines Any over-the-counter medicines Herbal and complementary supplements […]
For pharmacies: managing COVID-19 vaccine disposal
The RUM Project office has received many phone calls regarding the disposal of empty COVID vaccine vials, expired stock, and sharps. All vaccine vials (including expired, partially used as well as empty vials) and waste (needles and syringes) will need to be disposed of in a sharps bin and not in your RUM bin. We have been advised by the Department and […]
The Disposal of Single-use Vaping Products in Australia
Since 1st October 2021 all nicotine vaping products now require a prescription (i.e., are now Schedule 4 medicines). This includes nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine pods, and liquid nicotine. There is lots of information for consumers, prescribers, and pharmacists to be found on the TGA website at this link – www.tga.gov.au/nicotine-vaping-products. The RUM Project office is receiving […]
Medicinal Blister Packs Now Recyclable in Big Announcement from Chemists’ Own and TerraCycle
Chemists’ Own has launched the country’s first-ever free recycling program for household blister pack waste. In partnership with innovative recycling company TerraCycle, the program will address the problem of medicinal blister pack rubbish by allowing Australians to drop off their empty blister packs at participating pharmacies. With 49 participating Alliance Pharmacy stores across New South […]
Making A Difference This World Soil Day
World Soil Day 2021 (#WorldSoilDay) and its campaign “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health. Soil salinization is the consequence of […]
Top 17 Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning Hacks
With much of the eastern coast in lockdown, and Spring well and truly underway, there’s no better time than the present to tackle a Spring Clean. We’ve collected the best 35 eco-friendly hacks for overhauling your house in the smartest and quickest way this Spring. Kitchen Remove any expired and unwanted medicines from your medicine […]
Speaking to Pharmacist Amanda Seeto about her Career and experience with the RUM Project
Amanda Seeto is an established Pharmacist, National Councillor with the Pharmacy Guild, and now active member of the Board of Directors for the RUM Project. We recently (virtually) sat down with Amanda, to hear about her career, her experience with the RUM project, and what a typical day in her life looks like. Tell us […]
Managing Mild Side Effects from the COVID-19 Vaccine
Discover a run-down of the most common mild side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines and how to treat them at home. Because vaccines mimic infections and stimulates an immune response so that antibodies can be produced. To make these antibodies, the immune system builds proteins that can have an influence on how other cells in […]
How do you dispose of old medicine in Australia?
Medicines tend to build up in the home over time – packets of painkillers, supplements for wellbeing, vitamins for the winter months, prescriptions for former ailments and a whole lot more. As we head towards spring, now is as good a time as ever to think about sorting and clearing out your medicine bin of […]
Environmentalist Philip Swain on his passion for the environment
We recently spoke to Philip Swain, acclaimed environmentalist and National President of Environmental Health Australia, about his career, a typical day in his life and what sparks his passion for the world around us. How did you become an environmentalist? I suppose I am an environmentalist but I don’t really think in those terms. Necessity […]
Meet the Young Entrepreneur Seeking to Tackle Our Waste Issue
Over the last few years, sustainability has gradually started to take up more space when we talk about our consumption, our economy and our role in it. While we still have a long way to go, there are many Australians at the forefront of the battle for a more sustainable way of life. One of […]
How to Make a Difference this Earth Day
Earth Day falls this Thursday, April 22 and is a global annual event used to highlight the importance of protecting the environment. Earth Day has been noted every year since 1970, and has been the driver behind significant environmental actions, including the signing of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change. There are […]
What Life is Like as the Only Pharmacist on Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is an Australian territory and small island located in the South Pacific Ocean, situated between New Caledonia and New Zealand and off the coast of Queensland. With around 1800 citizens, the island receives limited supplies with a shipment via plane every Friday, delivering everything from food to medical supplies. Gerry is the pharmacist […]
How to Correctly Seal Your New RUM Bin
Last year saw the rollout of the new RUM bins, with the new design centred around safety – for pharmacists, patients, and those transporting the bins. The new bins also have a new way of being sealed and prepared for transport. Wholesalers are reporting that pharmacies are attempting to return the full RUM bins without […]
20% Increase in Collections Following Brown Paper Bag Program
Last year, 34 pharmacies in the Mackellar electorate, in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, participated in the Brown Bag Medicine Program. The program was facilitated by local member Jason Falinski MP and local pharmacist Warwick Plunkett AM, with the goal of raising awareness of the National Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) project. Each of the pharmacies […]
How to Dispose of Schedule 8 (S8) Medicines
The protocol in Australia for the disposal of section 8 medicines will depend on the state or territory jurisdiction. In some states or territories, you are able to dispose of these medicines via the RUM Project, whereas other locations have entirely different requirements. Schedule 8 drugs are classified as ‘poisons to which the restrictions recommended […]
Important Ways You Can Help the Environment this Christmas
Christmas is a wonderful time for gathering and connecting with friends and family and enjoying a much-needed break after a busy year. The Christmas tradition of sharing gifts can be a lovely way to treat loved ones, but unfortunately, the surge in gifts also means an increase in potential waste. Australian waste increased by 230% […]
Celebrating World Soil Day
December 5th is World Soil Day, an initiative by the United Nations to spread awareness about the importance of soil biodiversity and the protection of soil. Soil is a living resource, that makes up 25% of the biodiversity in this world, and plays a much bigger part in our ecosystem than we think. The initiative […]
Research Project by Griffith University Student Looking to Uncover Public Awareness of the RUM Project
Shams is a student at Griffith University, and is currently undertaking a research project on the RUM Project as part of her Master of Pharmacy degree. We recently spoke with Shams about the project and what the research hopes to uncover. Can you tell us about the RUM research project you are involved with? The […]