Among OECD countries, South Korea is ranked Top2 on recycling rate (59%). However, 55% of Koreans replied that they just throw away un-used medicines in the trash or flush them down the drain. 36% said they just leave it somewhere in the house. Then it can lead to drug abuse in the household or pollute the soil or drinking water.

We found an easy and effective way to raise awareness and educate the public on the consequences when medicines are disposed unproperly. We found the answer in the ‘medicine envelope.’ In Korean pharmacies, they prescribe the medicines in an envelope.

According to OECD, medicine disposal problem in the household is universal.

In United states, 42% of the prescribed medicine is neglected, In France, annually 17,600 tons of medicines is reported unused or expired. (2018)

Yearly pharma volume of manufacture in Korea is over 22.4 trillion won. On 2022, daily average of medicine prescription rose 15% year on year. The rise of prescription medicine follows the rise of neglected medicines. Han River in Seoul is also contaminated by down-the-drain pharmaceutical remains. With 5700ng/L cumulative concentrations observed, which ranks top 30% worldwide.

So we thought we need to raise social awareness on proper distribution and fix the inconvenient in-person disposition process, where one must go to a pharmacy or public health center.

We came up with a new and safe solution. Our campaign will stand as a barrier to the threat unproperly disposed medicines have on people’s health and environment.

There is an expired medicine drop off place but nobody is aware of it. It is possible to take the leftover medicine back to the pharmacy but only 8% of the people is aware of the fact.

To solve the unawareness problem, we came up with an idea to turn the everyday medicine envelope into a medicine disposal envelope and decided to collaborate with KOREA POST to gain more access by using mailboxes. This campaign launch was in Sejong city. Which is perfect since Sejong city is the administrative capital of Korea. And for last but not least we collaborated with the ministry of environment in advertising the campaign.

Our goal is to educate people on the proper way of medicine disposal and encourage active and continuous engagement on the campaign by properly disposing the expired medicine.

We thought of an efficient and accessible way of informing the process and letting the patients dispose it properly. The Korean Pharmaceutical Association and KOREA POST who is in charge of Korean postal service joined forces.

We transformed the medicine dispensing envelopes into a medicine disposal envelope, gave it to all who visit pharmacies. The collaboration of each association created a process which enabled individuals to get the envelope in any pharmacy in Sejong and to properly dispose the used drugs without contact.

We selected Sejong city as the target region. Produced the envelopes with the support from the Ministry of Environment, then distributed the envelopes with the help of The Korean Pharmaceutical Association.

When citizens drop the envelope into the mailbox, then the postmen collected the envelopes containing expired medications and delivered them to incineration facilities so it can be properly disposed.

Sejong city, where more than 50% of the population is young married couple in their 30s. We aired the campaign in theaters. And with the help of the local government we also advertised the campaign at public facilities such as city hall and public offices.

This campaign has been widely introduced in various news media and KTV (Public policy broadcasting service). Elementary schools in Sejong began to educate students on appropriate practice of disposing of pharmaceuticals. Also, the ministry of Environment is considering expanding the campaign to Seoul.

- Expired medicines collected in Sejong city during campaign period: 1,950kg (jan~ mar)

* 116% increased YoY

- Korea TV (Public policy broadcasting service) run a special feature twice

- Elementary students in Sejong city started education on appropriate practice of disposing of pharmaceuticals

- The ministry of Environment is considering expanding the campaign to Seoul, the capital of Korea

-The ministry of Environment announced its plans to expand the campaign nationwide through public broadcasting station (MBC)

In Korea, pharmacists dispense prescribed medication inside a paper envelope of the size of a span of a hand. In Korea, it is assumed that more than 240 million medication envelopes is being distributed a year. This is only counting Rx (prescription drugs). All these envelopes are thrown away in the garbage after use.

We started a campaign where these small medicine envelopes enable patients to be educated on the process of proper disposal of the medicines and dispose it in the mailbox with this very envelope. therefore, contributing to a healthy and sustainable society by solving problems on both expired medicines and used medicine envelop.