Rural communities cleaning up litter along the Eastern Cape Wild Coast have discovered dozens of plastic canisters containing expired or unused prescription drugs – some of which are for treating epilepsy of HIV-linked infections – strewn along isolated beaches.
Markings on some of the canisters and bubble packs include “Epilim CR 200”, prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy or to control bipolar disorder, and “Emtricitabine”, a generic medication used in HIV immunodeficiency virus type 1, a virus that causes Aids.
Cromwell Sonjica, a resident of the Mtentu area, told Daily Maverick he was worried the medication had been dumped illegally from inland clinics or hospitals and then washed down to the sea via a local river.
In response to queries, a spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Health said the disposal of medical waste from 91 health facilities in the province was outsourced to private service providers.
“There are very strict rules regulating the safe disposal of all medical waste and the department also spends a lot of money for these services. So, any negligence or dumping activity which endangers the health of people, animals and the environment is totally unacceptable and there must be consequences if evidence of irregularity is found.”
He also suggested the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the Green Scorpions national environmental management inspectorate should investigate the source of the drugs
The medication, which includes canisters with unbroken seals, was discovered during a beach clean-up organised by the local Amadiba Crisis Committee on a 25km stretch of coastline between the Mtentu and Mzamba rivers.
Committee spokesperson Nonhle Mbuthuma said local villagers are worried about the potential health danger posed by the medication if consumed by rural children.
“Kids are curious and inquisitive … there is a risk they will open these canisters and swallow the pills to see if they are sweet or to test those with different colours.
“There are lots and lots of pill containers, so we fear hospitals or clinics may be dumping expired medicines.
“We have never before seen sealed medication bottles on our coast. Such waste doesn’t come from local villages and towns,” she said.
Sonjica and Mbuthuma were unable to confirm the total number of drug canisters and blister packs found, as most of the waste was picked up and placed unsorted into black rubbish bags, along with other plastic waste, by several teams involved in a 10-day clean-up.
However, Sonjica said he had opened up just three of the numerous black bags of unsorted litter and found dozens of pill canisters in the debris that was cleared up along a very short section of beach near Mtentu.
Mbuthuma said the clean-up was arranged to get rid of unsightly litter in a region where residents depend on community-based eco-tourism ventures along the Wild Coast.
“Our cattle also roam the beaches and river mouths and sometimes eat the plastic waste, so we don’t want to expose them to risk either.”
The national Departments of Health and Environment have not responded yet to requests for comment.
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