Returning Inhalers to Pharmacy Campaign
20 April 2023
Some inhalers known as pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) contain propellants called hydrofluoroalkanes (HFAs) which are powerful greenhouse gases. Some of this propellant remains in the inhaler when empty. All inhalers consist of multiple types of plastics and will contain some medicine even when empty.
At present there is no national recycling scheme for inhalers and councils do not generally accept inhalers in domestic recycling. In addition to this inhalers should not be disposed of in normal household waste.
Inhalers therefore should be returned to community pharmacy where they will be sent for incineration. This will destroy any remaining propellant and will also prevent used inhalers going to landfill.
