World Health Day is observed every 7 April. This year’s celebration, under the theme ‘Together for Health: Let’s Support Science’, marks the start of a year-long campaign that will highlight the power of scientific collaboration in protecting the health of people, animals, plants and the planet. The campaign highlights both scientific achievements and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action, with a particular focus on the “One Health” approach.

In this context, SIGRE joins this call by recalling that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) itself, 23% of mortality – more than 12 million deaths a year worldwide – can be attributed to environmental factors; therefore, protecting our environment is, in essence, one of the most powerful tools for safeguarding our own physical and psychological well-being.

As human health and environmental health are so closely linked, moving towards a healthier and more sustainable future requires coordinated responses, based on scientific evidence and the shared responsibility of all stakeholders. The SIGRE system is precisely an example of sectoral cooperation applied to this common goal.

“The pharmaceutical sector, which works to improve people’s health and quality of life, has come together around SIGRE to move towards a more circular economy, minimising the environmental impact throughout the entire life cycle of medicines,” highlighted Miguel Vega, SIGRE’s managing director.

By properly closing the life cycle of medicines through the SIGRE Point, we not only prevent waste from damaging ecosystems, but we also actively strengthen the One Health approach. On the one hand, this eliminates the health risks posed by the consumption of leftover or expired medicines and, on the other, prevents the pollution of our rivers and soil, as would happen if we were to throw this waste in the bin or down the drain. Furthermore, thanks to SIGRE, packaging materials can be recycled, thereby contributing to a more circular and sustainable economy.

This is how citizens can look after their own health and that of the planet

It is advisable to check your home medicine cabinet every six to twelve months. If you find any medicines that have expired or are no longer needed, this is the time to take them to a SIGRE collection point to properly end their life cycle and protect the environment.

Empty medicine packaging (cardboard boxes, plastic or aluminium blister packs, glass bottles, sachets, inhalers, vials, pill tubes, ointments, etc.) and their leaflets should be taken to the white container at pharmacies, along with any expired or spoiled medicines and any leftover medication from completed courses of treatment.

In this regard, it is important to remember that empty medicine packaging must not be placed in other recycling bins, as it has been in contact with pharmaceutical substances and requires specific treatment to protect our health and the environment.