{
  "id": 17491818,
  "title": "Flushed, binned, forgotten: How unwanted medicines are putting Malaysia’s waterways at risk (VIDEO)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/flushed-binned-forgotten-how-unwanted-medicines-are-putting-malaysias-17491818",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/11/01/omla-flushed-binned-forgotten-how-unwanted-medicines-are-putting-malaysias-waterways-at-risk/241120"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR – Pharmaceutical residues found in Malaysia's waterways pose significant threats to ecosystems, disrupting fish reproduction and altering aquatic behaviour. As the population grows and ages, the amount of unwanted medicines requiring proper disposal is set to increase. Many households improperly dispose of expired medicines by throwing them in the rubbish bin, unaware that this can contaminate water sources and harm aquatic life. The Health Ministry's Pharmaceutical Services Programme (PSP) emphasizes that all pharmaceutical products, including tablets, capsules, pills, and liquids, must be disposed of safely, neither with household waste nor flushed down toilets or sinks. Improper disposal can lead to antimicrobial resistance, making antibiotics less effective and posing serious challenges to healthcare systems. Studies worldwide have identified pharmaceutical residues in waterways, with improper medicine disposal among the contributing factors. In Malaysia, the Health Ministry's MyMediSAFE programme, launched in September 2024, aims to educate the public on the safe disposal of unused and expired medicines. According to the 2025 edition of MyMediSAFE's Master Plan, a 2019 study found that 84.9% of respondents in Selangor disposed of unused medicines in household rubbish bins, while only 15.1% were aware of proper disposal methods.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — From disrupting fish reproduction to altering aquatic behaviour, pharmaceutical residues can...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}