Recycling inhaler cases?: As a bit of... - Asthma Community ...

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Recycling inhaler cases?

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As a bit of an ecowarrior, it grieves me that every time I get a repeat prescription, I get the whole lot, aerosol and plastic casing. Why do they not just supply the aerosol?

Does anyone know if the plastic casing is recyclable? There are no symbols on them to tell me this.

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i heard both the casing and aerosl could be recycled so always put them in my recycling box now and they are always taken so hope im doing right putting them in.

no where recycles plastic near me, surely it's possible to just let us have the metal cannister, I have 3 empty plastic holders in the draw.

I must admit I usually just hoy the lot in the bin but you could be right about recyling the plastic-but I always get confused about which plastics can be recycled anyway- on a recycling related matter;do you find that some people just seem to use the recycling facilities as an excuse to dump any old rubbish that they cant be bothered to dispose of properly-it really grinds my gears (to quote Peter Griffin).??

Recycling, I do my best to recycle where possible, but what really grieves me at present is the size of some of boxes my meds come in. Some of my stuff could come in packaging half the size. Prehaps I should start sending the waste packaging back to the Pharmacetuical Companies. At at time when we are all supposed to be recycling, you would hope that these companies would be doing their bit.

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

This has been a bugbear of mine for ages.

I recycle the aerosol in the metals as my local council takes non volatile empty aerosols. plastics, I will ask about that - they take all sorts apart from polystyrene , hard plastic toys so not sure if it is regarded as a toy. With the manufactures would put the apropriate recycling logo on them.

At the mo I am collecting my old cases & caps for a project with KA hols.

Reusing them - there is an issue of the hole in the casing staying patent, even with washing and repeated use / refilling may reduce the amount of drug comming out of the hole, the hole becoming blocked etc.

You could collect 24 of each colour, with caps and get a load of friends around for a game of table football with the inhalers on fingers as boots??

Kate

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

This has been a bugbear of mine for ages.

I recycle the aerosol in the metals as my local council takes non volatile empty aerosols. plastics, I will ask about that - they take all sorts apart from polystyrene , hard plastic toys so not sure if it is regarded as a toy. With the manufactures would put the apropriate recycling logo on them.

At the mo I am collecting my old cases & caps for a project with KA hols.

Reusing them - there is an issue of the hole in the casing staying patent, even with washing and repeated use / refilling may reduce the amount of drug comming out of the hole, the hole becoming blocked etc.

You could collect 24 of each colour, with caps and get a load of friends around for a game of table football with the inhalers on fingers as boots??

Kate

It's probably safer to supply a new plastic inhaler with each canister. The small hole inside the mouthpiece can get blocked up over time if not cleaned following the manufacturer's instructions, and these aren't always followed exactly. The plastic caps also have a tendency to get lost (for some reason this used to happen a lot when I was at school :)) allowing dust and fluff to get into the inhaler.

Cleaning requirements vary for different inhalers though. For salbutamol, Salamol inhaler mouthpieces need to be rinsed under a warm running tap and left to air dry every week (steps with pictures in patient information leaflet), but for Ventolin Evohalers the instructions recommend wiping inside and outside the mouthpiece and plastic casing with a dry cloth or tissue every week.

Putting old inhalers out with the recycling box is a great idea.

I had been told I could put both the plastic and the cannister part in the recycling box and have never had a problem with them not being collected or anything.

i didn't realise u could recyle them glad someone brought this post up i gonna ask about putting them in with my cans and plastics

shame manufactureres don't put the recycle code on em at least we would all know

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

Boo Hoo, My council won't take the plastic bits at the mo.... wrong sort of plastic!

Please check with your councils before popping them in because stuff that can't be recycled can mean that the whole bag is rejected and then it goes to landfill.

Daft!!!

Oh well, will collect them for table football! LOL

my council takes plastic casing for inhalers but not empty nebules which has upset me greatly!

I put my plastic inhaler cases in with my plastic bottle tops (I think they are a similar type of plastic) & have to take them to my local supermarket, where they have a small bin especially for them.

Claireb

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

must find out about nebule casings in my area ...............

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