Análise das práticas de logística reversa de medicamentos no município de São Francisco - PB.

Abstract

The random way in which medicine residues are being discarded has becoming an increasingly disturbing factor for society, as it culminates in serious impacts on the environment and public health. Based on the importance of this problem in the global sphere, this study addresses a field research focused on the pharmaceutical sector in the city of São Francisco-PB, its objective was to investigate the reverse logistics practice of this sector. For this objective to be achieved, two types of structured questionnaire were applied to the actors involved in the problem of disposal of this type of solid waste, which are the responsible people and/or pharmacists by the pharmacies and the users. As for the first aspect, a census was conducted with the 02 existing pharmacies in the city, with regard to the second, a method of probabilistic sampling indicated by Miat (2011) was used, resulting in the application of the survey to the number of 194 randomly selected users. With the application, it was found that both evaluated have knowledge about the damage caused by improper practice of waste handling, however, it is something contradictory in practice since they said that the drug waste does not return to their suppliers as provided in the National Policy on Solid Waste, something similar with the users, since most (72%) said that the final destination of this waste was household waste, which is obviously inappropriate. This can be caused by the lack of information, the fragility of the specific legislation, and the lack of collection points. Even though some answers are positive result, São Francisco-PB still needs to improve a lot regarding the reverse logistics practices of drugs used by its inhabitants.