expired foods and drugs are still widely discarded
Recently, many cases of large quantities of food, medicine and cosmetics thrown away right in residential areas, along roads or vacant land have made people in many localities upset. piles of goods of all kinds from candy, milk, functional foods to medicine, cosmetics appeared everywhere in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang... both polluting the environment and posing a potential risk of insecurity if picked up and used again.
On June 18, people in Hong Ha ward, Ha Long city (Quang Ninh) discovered thousands of boxes of functional foods thrown away at the landfill in the residential area. The Market Management Force has collected more than 13 garbage trucks including syrup, bird's nest water, herring stings, vitamins... all of which have expired and are being verified for origin and purpose of destruction.
Previously, Ho Chi Minh City Police clarified the line behind the discard of more than 4,200 boxes and 8,000 expired functional food sticks at many vacant lots in Binh Chanh District. Some of the goods were illegally burned, the rest were intact. The shipment owner, director of a company specializing in functional food trading, admitted to hiring someone to burn it himself for fear of being inspected.
In Da Nang, the authorities are also investigating the case of a series of bottles of new drugs and 25mg allowance of Cetecocenzitax drugs with a deadline of August 2026 left in the middle of an empty lot along Xuan Thieu 21 Street.
Not only medicine, Hanoi also recorded tons of foreign-language candy being dumped directly at the landfill in La Phu Industrial Park, Hoai Duc. Most of the products are expired, the packaging does not have Vietnamese sub-labeles, many products have designs similar to famous brands, posing a potential risk of counterfeit goods.
Recently, on Cienco 5 Street in the East, thousands of Black Rouge brand lipstick bars were suddenly thrown all over the roadside, causing people to panic because the lipstick still has the same label, paper boxes, and no signs of being used.
This series of cases shows loopholes in management and control of the destruction of poor quality, expired products, requiring tightening processes and strictly handling violations to protect the environment, public health and consumer trust.
Handling is ineffective
Currently, the authorities are working to find the cause of the discarded goods.
Dr. Ta Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Drug Administration (Ministry of Health) said that he had requested relevant companies and localities to report on the destruction process for handling. According to regulations, expired, counterfeit or unknown drugs must be recalled, a death row must be established, strictly monitored and environmental safety must be ensured.
According to Circular 03/2020 of the Ministry of Health, all expired drugs, counterfeit drugs or drugs of unknown origin must be revoked. The head of the facility must decide to establish a Drug Cancellation Council, choose appropriate destruction methods and supervise the entire process, ensure safety for humans and animals and minimize negative impacts on the environment.
Particularly for drugs under special control such as addictive drugs and spirit drinks, the destruction must comply with stricter regulations according to Decree 54 of the Government. After destruction, the facility is responsible for making a record and reporting the results to the Department of Health in accordance with the prescribed form.
According to the Deputy Director of the Department of Drug Administration, the process of treating drugs that have expired or are no longer valid: Collecting and treating them as hazardous waste: Drugs must be collected separately and treated according to regulations on hazardous waste to ensure environmental safety and public health.
The head of the facility where the drug needs to be destroyed must establish a Drug Cancellation Council. The medicine must be destroyed by safe methods, such as incineration, burial or other methods approved by the Ministry of Health. Proper treatment of expired or no longer valid drugs is extremely important to protect the environment and public health. Strictly complying with the drug cancellation process is not only a legal responsibility but also a way to protect public health safety and the living environment.
Throwing away drugs and expired functional foods not only shows irresponsibility but also shows loopholes in drug and community health management. If not strictly controlled, these products are at risk of being taken advantage of by bad guys, leading to unpredictable health consequences and economic losses.
