Magister Pharmaceuticae - MPharm / Evidence indicates that most South African households do not dispose of unused medicines in the manner prescribed by the medicine’s regulatory authority. This trend is not unique to South Africa, but several developing nations have also lagged. An in-depth understanding of practices of disposal of unused as well as expired medicines is cardinal and critical to the development of an effective programme to reverse the situation. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the disposal practices of household unused and expired medicines, and the role of pharmacists in creating an efficient and robust system for proper disposal of unused medicine from households in the southern suburbs area of Cape Town.