Posted By :  Admin1

In response to growing incidents of medical waste being dumped openly, authorities in Coimbatore have directed drug retailers and wholesalers to comply strictly with disposal protocols established by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.

The Drug Administration Department, in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Coimbatore district administration, is rolling out a wider disposal scheme that would include public participation.

Officials warn that improper disposal, such as tossing expired drugs into regular trash or flushing them down toilets, can introduce hazardous substances into soil, water and air, contribute to antimicrobial resistance, and harm ecosystems.

Under Section 65(17) of the Drugs Rules (under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act), no entity is allowed to keep or sell medicines past their expiry or in violation of labelling norms. Instead, expired drugs must be destroyed via authorised channels. 

According to S. Marimuthu, Assistant Director of Drug Control for the Coimbatore zone, CDSCO’s guidelines issued in May 2025 mandate the following chain of custody: retailers must return expired medicines to their suppliers or manufacturers within 30 days; manufacturers have up to six months to dispose of them appropriately. If this chain cannot be maintained, disposal must be executed via TNPCB. 

Coimbatore currently hosts about 2,300 retail pharmacies and 450 wholesale suppliers. Marimuthu added that discussions are underway to launch a programme for collecting unused or expired medications from households, analogous to regular solid-waste collection, with the help of civic bodies and district administration.