Everyday Antibiotics & You
What to do with leftover antibiotics
Do not keep leftover antibiotics, and do not flush them. Return them to any pharmacy through the Return Unwanted Medicines scheme, free of charge.
By Priya Nandan. Published 18 June 2026 · Clinically reviewed. This article is general information, not a substitute for advice about your own health.
If you have antibiotics left over, the safest thing to do is return them to a pharmacy. In Australia this is free through the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) scheme, which any community pharmacy can accept.
Why not just keep them
Keeping leftover antibiotics encourages people to self-treat a later illness without knowing whether an antibiotic is the right choice, the right type, or the right dose. Self-prescribing this way is one of the ways resistance spreads, and it can delay proper treatment.
Why not flush or bin them
Flushing medicines or putting them in household rubbish can release antibiotic residues into water and soil, where they add to environmental resistance. The RUM scheme exists specifically so that unwanted medicines are collected and destroyed safely.
The simple rule
Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, and return anything left over to a pharmacy. Do not stockpile them, share them, or save them for next time.
See also the complete guide to using antibiotics safely and our pillar on preventing antibiotic resistance.
General practitioner and antimicrobial stewardship lead. Reviewed 3 July 2026 · Next review due July 2027 ·View reviewer profile and credentials