An interesting article here:
Asthma carbon footprint 'as big as eating meat' bbc.co.uk/news/health-50215011
Now I’m all for reducing my carbon footprint but can’t help thinking that maybe dealing with some of the pollution & suchlike that’s causing asthma to start with rather than targeting us might be a better plan!
I thought that too - asthmatics can't exactly help it!
If the issue is the propellant, how about looking at deodorant or hairspray use - which can also be a trigger? Feel like too many people go nuts spraying that everywhere and it's a lot less essential than an inhaler given roll-on exists (and so do showers... don't get the urge some people have to bathe in deodorant or perfume on top of showering. I used to work with someone who did this and I had to suggest that she could spray herself at home not in the office, which seemed not to have occurred to her. Her excuse for doing it at work was she was afraid she smelled...you just told me you have a shower every day but you still feel the need to spray stuff around the office? I did eventually get through I think but she couldn't seem to get that it was triggering my asthma even though she understood other scents did!)
I'm glad they at least say don't switch if you can't, but still feel a bit of guilt-tripping and that there are many less essential products with harmful propellant which could be reduced before MDIs. No doubt my footprint is massive with the number I use but can't really use dry powder ones. They missed an opportunity to promote the GSK inhaler recycling scheme too - wish more pharmacies knew and participated.
It’s interesting about the recycling issue. I handed some inhalers in when I found out my regular pharmacy was participating & the staff weren’t sure what they were even supposed to do with them.
Yes I've had the same. First time I now feel sure they just disposed of them as usual because they didn't understand , despite the pharmacy being signed up.
Different pharmacy they used to have a box out, stopped doing that but then not all the staff seemed to know about it even when I explained. If they do it I think they need to make it clear and tell the staff! The pharmacy has a sign on the door about where you can recycle your electrical goods, but nothing about this.
You are so right! I feel the same about air fresheners (and much other stuff). Why is natural smells unacceptable, but artificial ones are fine and promoted? By the way I hate that fabric softener advert doing the rounds at present.
Asthma UK's response: asthma.org.uk/about/media/n...
That’s not much of a response by Asthma U.K. It makes it sound like the only thing stopping people switching to other inhalers is that we can’t be bothered to learn a new technique. I don’t know that all inhalers exist in powder counterparts. Many people can’t use powder inhalers because they can’t suck hard enough, or because they have too much mucus. Inhalers are not a lifestyle choice. Neither is a lung condition. Already too many people feel self conscious using their inhaler in public, without this added burden of guilt and shame. It’s ok to make ‘jokes’ about inhalers, now it’ll be ok to blame us for destroying the environment. I am all for saving the environment, I avoid plastics where possible, buy locally produced goods where possible, recycle where possible. I don’t drive. I welcome the new reusable Spiriva Respimat and the empty inhaler recycling schemes. But my health and the medications to treat it are not a lifestyle choice, so why put this blame on us? I feel like I’ve been floored by this criticism, and devastated that asthma uk hasn’t hit back at the media with a more robust response.
I totally agree with this. I know they have to walk a fine line in many ways, but I really felt that the article vilified asthma sufferers. I really felt angry about the comparison with eating meat...I mean what’s that got to do with anything? So if I’m an asthmatic who likes steak & chips then I’m doubly bad for the environment? I think the argument should have at least stood alone-there’s an issue here with the gases used by inhalers, here are some risks associated with changing, here are some options.
Yes, I was hugely unimpressed with the way it made it out to be a lifestyle choice, even if some lip service was paid to 'don't feel guilty'.
And no mention of things which may have a similar impact, are probably much more widely used, and really are lifestyle choices like deodorant as I said above, or air fresheners, which can actually be triggers on top of their environmental impact?
I do think they could start by trying to improve asthma care overall and making it easier to recycle inhalers eg like the Respimat change, not suggesting that we should bear the burden of this because we use too many inhalers and can't switch to another kind.
I have complained to the BBC about the article (esp the title as many people will skim read and the title very much sounds like using inhalers is a life style choice easy to change... and already too much judgement on asthmatics without ‘normies’ making us feel guilty about using an MDI on top)
If anyone else wants to...
bbc.co.uk/contact/complaint...
Thanks for the link. I have complained.
Plus their post on Facebook which is drawing alot of comments. The news article has made people very angry about how people with asthma (who used these said inhalers ) are portrayed damaging the environment as same as meat.
We all I am sure that they don't want to damage the environment on purpose by using these type of inhaler but sometimes we have no choice.
I used a Fostair nexthaler and ventolin if necessary (metered-dose inhalers) and yes in the past I have used 4/5 different ones e.g Seretide, Clenil Modulite being of the same type. So guilty as charged.
It has never occurred to me whether the inhaler I was using was 'bad' for the environment. My main concern was that it would keep my asthma under control and keep me well. This was before the report that was made public in April 18 on the effect of the greenhouse gases in in metered inhalers.
Asthma UK are doing there best to counteract the bad press we are getting.
Thanks once again for this charity who is using all its media platforms to get a balance view of the problem.
I think it was quite misjudged of the study to link inhaler use with increases in people's carbon-footprint. Even if it's technically true it's hard enough trying to educate some people to use their inhalers consistently. I always recall feeling self-conscious when I was younger using my inhaler and stories like this don't help. As others have said we wouldn't need to use them so much if other sources of pollution were tackled more aggressively by the government etc.
The chilling part of this story / movement (to me) is that the NHS is looking at reducing the use of these inhalers as a way of complying with their Climate Change targets / obligations under legislation.
I hope they will be doing all sorts of research to prove such a move is safe before the NHS makes any such decision for a patient on climate change grounds.
And I say this as someone who is whatever the opposite of a climate change denier is - I believe it is real, man-made etc. But I also believe that asthma is real (also, in many cases, man-made) and requires these inhalers to be in a doctor’s arsenal of weapons.
This is ludicrous!
I’m just praying that this article doesn’t cause any loss of life through a sufferer feeling guilty about using their inhalers. Heard a story about a lady who didn’t take her blue inhaler when having an attack as she was unable to afford a replacement and was saving it. She sadly lost her life. A death that was completely preventable. Just an appalling situation.
The BBC is being completely irresponsible with the slant on this article. They are also playing fast and loose with the figures.
A lot of inhalers don't actually contain CFCs anymore anyway. Contrast this use of potentially life saving medication to the story emerging this morning about airlines loading up with tons of extra fuel to save money but at a huge cost to the environment with the vastly increased co2 emissions due to the extra weight. BA are justifying this by saying everyone else does the same. That's not much of a valid defence. When I've flown in the past I've paid that little bit to offset the carbon emission, I can't help wondering now just where that money actually goes 🤔
That money isn't for the benefit of the environment, it's just an excuse to pick our pockets.
Anyone else been through this..?
Asthma attack advice
