I was at a meeting today and mentioned was the disposal of used inhalers. We were encouraged to
take our used inhalers to the pharmacy for appropriate disposal, where the inhalers are subjected to proper disposal avoiding cross contamination and avoidance of plastic emissions.
Perhaps none of you throw old used inhalers into landfill, but if you do, can I persuade you to take an environmental approach and return they to the pharmacy ( any pharmacy in the U.K. will accept them )
Thank you.
Thank you Pauline, great idea.👍
It is written on my inhaler now to return to pharmacy which I did anyway. Good idea
I didn't know this so thanks Pauline. Will do that in future.
Thank you. 💚
Thank you PaulineHM, I will now give my empty inhalers to the chemist
I read about this some years ago and have been taking my old inhalers back ever since but a lot of chemists don’t seem ti be aware of it?
Or maybe just reluctant to take on more work than they have already. Many times they look surprised and ask me what I expect them to do with them!
I also bring back old, unused, out of date medicines to avoid them going into land fill or risk polluting (or poisoning) the surroundings. Same reaction there when I turn up & explain why I’m bringing my bags.
Hopefully this will be communicated and handled better with time as awareness spreads.
Hi, it is my understanding that all pharmacies now accept used, unwanted, out of date medications to destroy them. There was a time when we could recycle inhalers but no more ! The recycling scheme came to an end ! Pity eh ?
Hi, I wholeheartedly agree with you, I used to religiouly take used inhalers to my pharmacy , he used to look at them as though they were dog turds so I had to remind him that they were for recycling. He closed down so I use another pharmacy nearby, they say they no longer have the facilities to recycle.
thanks, you've reminded me to try again & keep trying until they sort it.
Hi, yes recycling scheme ended with our split from EU! Now though the pharmacies accept our used inhalers for environmental disposal. It would be great if you try again. I take mine and tell them they are for disposal.
Hope you are well ? X
Not bad thanks you. I'm moving soosoon so hopefully new area will be more helpful
Another Brexit bonus! We're drowning in them (literally).
Hi PaulineHM, Good morning. I save mine up in a box and take them back to the hospital the next time I have an appointment with the consultant or physio. I've been doing this for years. Got quite I pile a present as I have had phone appointments lately. Neaver mind they will keep. Take care and stay safe.
i used to take mine to the pharmacy but 2 or 3 years ago he stopped taking them and told me to put in my recycle bin.
I agree but it would help if they didn't scowl at you when you do.
I recycle mine
How do you recycle them please ?
As far as I know they are not recyclable. Can you get them to your local pharmacy?
In my plastic and metal recycling bin.ive done this for donkeys years x
it would be helpful if you can get them back to your local pharmacy for disposal 💚
My local pharmacies have only fairly recently accepted spent inhalers for recycling. It's a welcome thing.
Hi, that is good to know. Are you able to let me know where they recycle them please ? I didn’t think they were recyclable?
About 2 months ago my pharmacy asked me to take them back when used, they have never done this before so maybe its new to my area and a good thing too x
Our local pharmacies quite happily take empty inhalers and Superdrug also took used blister packs but they gave up the lease (thanks to the local council's grand plans).I am now waiting for someone travelling to Lancaster to take my sackful to the branch there.
I think Pharmacies just land fill them Maybe someone could show me otherwise
Am pretty sure they are not permitted to do that… could you ask them perhaps ?
I have always taken mine back to my chemist, so far never been a problem I hope it stays that way 👍
My hubby took mine back to Boots pharmacy yesterday.
You are brilliant!
Thanks. I’m presuming any Boots pharmacy will take them. Out of interest we also take all our medicine foils to be recycled. Any Superdrug with a pharmacy will have a recycle box. We save them in the garage till we have a carrier bag full then drop them off. We have a lot!
Im glad you posted this Pauline - I thought everyone always did this but evidently not 
The pharmacists will wonder what has hit them!!
Thanks for that, Pauline. My local chemists stopped taking used Symbicort Turbohalers some years ago, but I’ll check to see if this has changed.
Boots accept used inhalers and out of date meds. That's where mine go.
Commendable of course but there are two points:
First, is it actually worth the environmental costs associated with the travel to and from the pharmacy?
Second, who is paying for the pharmacy to do this work? I am assuming we are as tax payters. So we need to be sure this is cost effective both fiscally and environmentally and being done properly (and that costs toos). Anyone know?
Am pretty sure that most tax payers pay for recycling services, as we do for example via the Council Tax.
I don’t know who pays for recycling inhalers ? And yes I get it about creating emissions to get used inhalers to the pharmacy.
Does this help ?
cpsc.org.uk/application/fil...
Yes but it still cannot answer the environmental cost associated with transportation. My plan is to have a container at home to build up to a decent number and then take them on a necessary trip to the pharmacy. So thanks for the heads up. Of course some inhalers do not use CFCs.
in 3 pharmacies local to me a notice is displayed on this very subject
That is great!
I’ve been taking mine to the pharmacy for a long time but for some unknown reason they have suddenly stopped taking the plastic part and only take the canister. Odd!
Oh that is interesting… could you ask them why that is please ?
Next time I go to pharmacy I will Pauline. Luckily our plastics, some of which have to be put into the household waste bin, go to produce biofuel and not into land fill.
I put the plastic part in the household plastic recycling, although I have a feeling that, because they don’t carry the recycling mark, they are actually made from thermoplastic which, of course is landfill fodder. I’m afraid I’m being a bit lazy and (a) hoping that I’m wrong and (b) the recycling centre will make the decision for me and take responsibility for them.
I took a bagful of used meds etc. to my pharmacy recently and they would not accept them. They said their recycling bin was full and they were waiting for the disposal agency to collect them. Told me to phone next time I came into town and see if they could take them. They sit in my cupboard because I don't go into town very often.
I do that about once a year. At first the assistant at my pharmacy looked confused, but now they accept them without question.
Re environmental impact - I've shared a post on choice of Inhalers
Hi, yes I saw your post, thank you, those comparisons of emissions were helpful .
Go well.
Pauline
At any of our Pharmacies; be they independent or chain, they will only take them if they have the room to store them. When I argued it out at Boots on one occasion after struggling to walk with my ‘returns’ in my Wheelie bag they told me to try again tomorrow! I stated I didn’t know if I would be in any state to return tomorrow. I also mentioned that I had been told any pharmacy would take j wanted medical supplies. They replied, ‘Yes, that’s only if we have the room to store them; our bins are full.’ Can you imagine if some poor soul had struggled on the bus to return them? Would have been so tempting to dump them in a public rubbish bin.
Solving the inhaler problem!
Inhaler the Reason?
Change of Inhaler
Change of Inhaler
