Environmental and Human Health Impact of Antibiotics Waste Mismanagement: A Review

Abstract

The discovery of antibiotics and their use in the last century substantially shifted the management of an array of infections. However, its unprecedented irrational usage and inept disposal of their waste exposed the ecosystems to unquantifiable antibiotic deposits, triggering the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with its immeasurable critical risk to public health. By adopting a narrative review method and accessing the available literature, the authors described what constitutes antibiotic waste, their classification, and the possible paths to access the ecological system. Further steps were taken to define the appropriate methods of disposing of antibiotic waste alongside the documented common wrong approaches in disposing of these currently undertaken in different parts of the globe, thus creating allowance for antibiotic waste mismanagement. The far-reaching consequences of inappropriate disposal of antibiotic waste into the environment were explored, emphasizing its hazardous impacts on human health and the ecosystem. Emphasis was laid on the pressing need for combined efforts involving policymakers, healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical industries, and the public to implement sustainable antibiotic waste management practices and promote their accountable utilization, and further suggested that proactive measures, such as severe regulatory frameworks, community awareness drives, and the promotion of eco-friendly options will be vital to easing the ecological and human health risks correlated with antibiotic waste mismanagement. By realizing the significance of this issue and approving integrated approaches, significant efforts could be accomplished regarding protecting the ecosystem and securing the effectiveness of antibiotics for the upcoming generation.