Return Unwanted Medicines

The expired antibiotics in the bathroom cabinet, the half-used painkillers from an old injury, the medicines left behind when a family member passes away: most homes have them. Throwing medicines in the bin or flushing them down the toilet is unsafe for people, pets, and the environment. Australia has a free, simple alternative: hand them in at the pharmacy.

What is the Return Unwanted Medicines program?

The Return Unwanted Medicines program (the RUM Project) is a national scheme that lets you return expired or unwanted medicines to any community pharmacy, free of charge, for safe collection and destruction. Pharmacies place returned medicines in dedicated bins, and they are later incinerated under proper controls rather than ending up in landfill or waterways.

Why it matters

Medicines left at home are a real hazard. They are a leading cause of accidental poisoning in young children, they can be misused, and flushed or binned medicines pollute soil and water because normal treatment does not remove many drug compounds. Clearing out old medicines also reduces the risk of taking the wrong thing or an expired product by mistake.

What you can return

You can generally return prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and complementary or herbal products, including ones that are expired, no longer needed, or left over. Returning medicines in their packaging helps, but is not essential. Ask the pharmacy about sharps such as needles, which usually need a proper sharps container rather than the medicines bin, and about any large quantities.

How it works at the pharmacy

Simply take your unwanted medicines to a participating pharmacy and hand them to staff for the RUM bin. There is no cost, no appointment, and no need to explain why. You do not get a refund (the medicines are destroyed, not resold), and you do not need to be the person they were prescribed for, which is helpful when clearing out a relative’s medicines.

A note on disposal at home

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or sink, and do not put them in household rubbish where children, pets, or others could find them. The pharmacy return is the safe, intended route. If someone has taken a medicine that is not theirs, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26, or call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

How it’s regulated in Australia

The RUM Project is funded by the Australian Government and operates nationally through community pharmacies, providing a consistent, safe disposal pathway across the country. Participating pharmacies handle and store returned medicines under the program’s requirements before licensed destruction.

Official sources

• Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM Project)
• Healthdirect: managing your medicines

Have a clear-out and bring your old medicines in. Use the button below to find a pharmacy that accepts unwanted medicines near you.