Abstract

The disposal of pharmaceuticals has become a problem for society and public health and causes risks to the environment. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the number of pharmaceuticals and the classes of the most discarded pharmaceuticals in household waste in Senador Canedo, Goiás, Brazil. The study was conducted in Senador Canedo, GO, Brazil (16° 42' 28'' S, 49° 5' 34'' W, and altitude of 801 m), which presents maximum air temperature of 35 to 37°C and a minimum of 11 to 13°C, along with mean annual rainfall depth of approximately 1,350 mm. Exploratory and descriptive research was conducted to characterize and quantify the disposal of pharmaceuticals in household wastes in the municipality of Senador Canedo, GO. The sample size required to estimate the production of household pharmaceuticals waste in a population (considered infinite) was defined through the following statistical criteria: 95% confidence level and 5% sampling error. The research consisted of a collection of 10 random samples (garbage bags) in each neighbourhood of Senador Canedo, GO. The most disposed pharmaceuticals in household wastes are from the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antibiotic pharmaceutical classes, with percentages above 10%. Antiulcer, diuretics, and antidepressants are the other pharmaceutical classes that present the highest quantity in household wastes.

Key words: Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, toxic medicines, solid urban.