Almaty Expands Safe Collection and Disposal of Expired Medicines

Expired medicines should never be disposed of with regular household waste. When sent to landfills, pharmaceutical products can contaminate soil and groundwater, while their active chemical ingredients may pose risks to the environment.

To address this environmental challenge, Yevgeny Mukhamedzhanov, Head of the Green Almaty Civic Initiative (GRBN «Green Almaty«), initiated a citywide program for the safe collection of expired medicines.

Over the past year, the ECO Network has collected 1,171 kilograms of expired pharmaceutical products. Today, 38 collection points operate across Almaty, including 36 located in city polyclinics, making safe disposal convenient and accessible for residents.

All collected medicines are transferred to the licensed company Akler Group LLP, which carries out their environmentally safe disposal in accordance with applicable regulations.

The expansion of the pharmaceutical waste collection system helps reduce environmental risks, protects natural resources, and promotes responsible waste management practices among Almaty residents.