Kerala Launches India’s First Drug Disposal Scheme: nPROUD

Kerala Introduces a Model for Responsible Medicine Disposal

Kerala Launches India’s First Drug Disposal Scheme: nPROUD: Kerala has launched nPROUD, a novel initiative aimed at eliminating unused and expired medicines from homes and commercial establishments. The programme—short for New Programme for Removal of Unused Drugs—marks a national first in creating a formal route for pharmaceutical waste collection. The pilot will start in Kozhikode Corporation and Ulliyeri Panchayat on February 22, 2025, covering nearly 2 lakh households.

How the Scheme Will Function

As part of the nPROUD initiative, volunteers from Haritha Karma Sena and Kudumbashree will collect medicines directly from homes free of charge. To complement this, pharmacies will maintain blue-coloured bins where people can drop off their unused drugs. On the commercial side, medical businesses will be charged ₹40 per kilogram for waste collection. The collected pharmaceuticals will then be processed and destroyed using safe incineration techniques at the KEIL plant in Ernakulam.

Building on the Lessons of PROUD (2019)

The current model expands upon an earlier programme—PROUD, which was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019. Although it succeeded in retrieving over 21 tonnes of expired drugs, logistical issues—such as the absence of local disposal facilities—made it less scalable. nPROUD addresses these shortcomings by ensuring in-state incineration and improved coordination via Clean Kerala Company Ltd (CKCL).

Engaging Citizens Through Awareness Campaigns

To promote mass participation, the government is introducing “Go Blue Day”—special events when residents will be encouraged to bring their expired drugs to designated drop-off points. These campaigns are designed to educate the public on health risks of improper disposal and combat antimicrobial resistance caused by drug overuse or mismanagement.

National Implications of the Kerala Model

With this initiative, Kerala has become the first state in India to institutionalise drug waste collection at the community level. The success of nPROUD is already generating interest from other regions, including Delhi and Karnataka, which are exploring similar frameworks. The project could potentially guide national policy formulation in the field of pharmaceutical waste management.

STATIC GK SNAPSHOT: Kerala’s nPROUD Drug Disposal Scheme