Knowledge and Practices of Pharmacists on Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal in Akwa Ibom State

Improper pharmaceutical waste disposal poses environmental and public health hazards, including contamination of water sources and facilitating antimicrobial resistance. This study assessed the knowledge and practices of pharmacists regarding pharmaceutical waste disposal at community and hospital pharmacies in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 100 pharmacists using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Assessed domains included knowledge of pharmaceutical waste categories, awareness of national and WHO waste disposal guidelines, and current disposal practices. Direct observation visits were made to 35 pharmacy outlets to verify disposal behaviours. Results showed that 64.0 percent of pharmacists had adequate knowledge of pharmaceutical waste classification. However, only 27.0 percent reported following WHO-recommended disposal practices, which include incineration or return-to-manufacturer schemes. Disposal by household waste mixing was practised by 41.0 percent of surveyed pharmacists, and drug flushing into sewage systems was reported by 21.0 percent. Awareness of national pharmaceutical waste regulations was limited, with only 36.0 percent correctly identifying NAFDAC's regulatory role in waste management. Inadequate waste disposal infrastructure and absence of take-back programmes were identified as systemic barriers. The study recommends developing national drug take-back programmes, providing targeted waste management training, and enforcing NAFDAC disposal regulations across Nigerian pharmacy outlets.

Keywords: pharmaceutical waste disposal, community pharmacy, environmental health, Akwa Ibom State, NAFDAC