The municipality of Eindhoven and hospitals are kicking off a campaign in the city this Friday to reduce the amount of medicine residues in water. This is because medication in water is said to be bad for the quality of drinking water and bad for aquatic life, according to Brabants Network Drug Residues in Water, which is spearheading the campaign.
Maxima Medical Center
On behalf of the municipality, Alderperson Rik Thijs is calling on people not to flush medicine residues down the toilet, but to bring them back to the pharmacy or hand them in at the recycling centre. From now on, 22 pharmacies in Eindhoven will have boxes where leftover medication can be handed in.
At least 190,000 kilos of medicine residues end up in the surface water every year. Apart from medicines that are flushed down the toilet, this mainly happens through toilet visits.
Conscious
Marie-Claire van Hek, director at Catharina Hospital, says: “Medicines are meant to make us better, not to harm our environment. By using what we have left consciously, we not only protect the water, but also contribute to a healthier future for all of us.”
In addition to Eindhoven and Catharina Hospital, De Dommel Water Board, GP association Stroomz, pharmacists’ association Cazo and the Máxima Medical Center are also participating in the campaign.
Source : Studio040.nl
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
