NHIS Joins Wonju-si's Waste Medicine Collection Campaign... Delivers 25 Collection Boxes

[Financial News] The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) is joining a citizen-participation campaign to spread a culture of proper disposal for waste medicines.
The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) announced on the 4th that it delivered 25 collection bins for waste medicines to the Wonju City Social Welfare Council as part of the 'Yaksok Project' (藥束 Project), a campaign for the disposal of waste medicines in which Wonju-si citizens participate.
The 'Yaksok Project' (藥束 Project) is a waste medicine collection campaign promoted by local institutions in Wonju-si through public-private-government cooperation. It was established to prevent drug misuse and safety accidents that may occur if waste medicines are disposed of incorrectly, and to reduce environmental pollution caused by unauthorized disposal.
Since last year, NHIS has installed and operated 30 waste medicine collection bins in locations easily accessible to citizens in Wonju-si, such as post offices and large supermarkets. To date, the amount of waste medicine collected and processed has reached 1,744 kg.
NHIS plans to install additional collection bins in locations close to citizens' daily lives, such as apartments, schools, pharmacies, and administrative welfare centers, to make it easier to dispose of waste medicines. It will also continue activities to raise public awareness regarding the proper disposal of waste medicines.
It has been pointed out that the proper disposal of waste medicines is important for the environment and public health. In a 2025 survey by the K-Green Foundation, 48.4% of respondents answered that they had disposed of waste medicines in standard garbage bags, sinks, or toilets. A survey conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research in 2024 also detected 19 types of drug components at 130 locations along the four major rivers.
Lee Jeong-seon, Head of the Safety Management Office at NHIS, stated, "Protecting the environment is tantamount to protecting public health," adding, "We will continue to strive to implement environmental management that citizens can experience firsthand."

[email protected] Jeong Sang-hee Reporter