Recycling inhalers: Does anyone have... - Asthma Community ...

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Recycling inhalers

Wheezycat profile image
10 Replies

Does anyone have any idea of the current state of affairs regarding recycling the plastic component of inhalers? GSK had a scheme, but just now when I looked for that webpage it was no longer there. Also I have struggled to find a place in York - the GSK named places looked like question marks when I asked, and then told me they do take the metal canisters, but not the plastic. In fact all pharmacies should accept the canisters, but that doesn’t help with the plastic? I would be interested to hear what others have found?

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Wheezycat profile image
Wheezycat
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Thomas45 profile image
Thomas45

I've found an article in the Pharmaceutical Journal, stating that the GSK Complete the Cycle scheme was to end in September 2020, which is sad.

When I get to my PC I will check further.

watergazer profile image
watergazer

I take my used inhalers back to the chemist - I didn't realise about the plastic parts so maybe they dispose of them safelyx

Wheezycat profile image
Wheezycat in reply to watergazer

I have a whole bag of them. I asked once in our pharmacy and I think the message was that the canister part they put in recycling, the plastic they put in normal rubbish.

LilsBaker2023 profile image
LilsBaker2023

Hi Wheezycat, the majority of pharmacies take inhalers to recycle. As long as you put them in a clear plastic bag they will take them canister and plastic casings and all. Hope this helps.

LilsBaker2020

Wheezycat profile image
Wheezycat in reply to LilsBaker2023

Sure, but then what? I am concerned about plastics for various reasons, and I would by far see it recycled rather than just dumped, as I think most pharmacies do now.

LilsBaker2023 profile image
LilsBaker2023 in reply to Wheezycat

Ah true. It depends on where you live. In London most pharmacies do. Hope you manage to find a solution. 😃

A silly question I expect, but why wouldn't the plastic bit just go in household recycling?

Emzcat41 profile image
Emzcat41 in reply to

Depends where you live on what type of recycling is accepted. When I lived in the West Midlands it was most types of plastic but now I’m in East Midlands it’s much less sadly

in reply to Emzcat41

Oh phew! I've been putting my in the recycling and had a small panic that they couldn't be for some reason! :)

Wheezycat profile image
Wheezycat

Here they will only take plastic bottles.

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