Inhaler users urged to play their part in the fight against climate change

People with respiratory conditions who use metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) are being encouraged to do their bit in the fight against climate change – by disposing of them safely.

The propellants in many commonly used MDIs are powerful environmentally damaging greenhouse gases, many of which remain in the canister after use.

Inhalers that get thrown in household bins end up getting crushed in refuse trucks on their way to landfill, releasing these residual greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

There they trap the sun’s heat like glass in a greenhouse and contribute to global warming, which can increase air pollution and worsen lung conditions like asthma.

Health chiefs in Suffolk and north east Essex are instead urging inhaler users to take them to their local pharmacy when they’ve finished with them.

This enables them to be thermally treated alongside other medical waste which destroys the greenhouse gases so they can be safely disposed of.

Dr Pete Holloway, GP and Chair of the Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) Respiratory Committee, urged people to dispose of their inhalers responsibly.

He said: “We’ve all got to do our bit for the environment to combat the threat of climate change and people who use inhalers can play a huge part.

“There are nearly 100,000 people in Suffolk and north east Essex using inhalers to treat conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

“That’s an enormous amount of inhalers people are getting through in our area. If they end up in household waste, the canisters get crushed in rubbish trucks, releasing more greenhouse gases.

“The great irony is that global warming worsens air pollution, which in turn directly and adversely impacts the health of the very people using the inhalers.

“Taking your used inhalers to your local pharmacy for safe disposal will make a real difference and I urge people with respiratory conditions to do just that.”

Jonathan Douse, Clinical Lead for Respiratory Medicine at Ipswich Hospital, said: “If all the used inhalers in the UK were returned for safe disposal it would save 512,330 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

“That’s roughly equivalent to the CO2 emissions produced by driving a Volkswagen Golf around the world 88,606 times.

“It is imperative that we get a grip of the climate change issue – and this is one area where we can make a real impact with very little effort.

“Please don’t chuck your MDI inhaler in the bin when you’ve finished with it. Just pop it in at your local pharmacy when you collect your new inhaler and walk away knowing you’re helping the planet.”

Spacer devices used alongside inhalers are not made of a plastic that can currently be recycled and should still be disposed of securely in household waste bins.

Asthmatics and COPD sufferers in Suffolk and north east Essex may be contacted by their surgery over the coming months and asked to attend an inhaler review.

Dr Holloway added: “If you are contacted to attend an inhaler review with your GP, a practice nurse or pharmacist please keep your appointment.

“They will be able to check you are using your inhaler in the most effective way to treat your condition.

“If you ask, they may also be able to provide you with a more environmentally-friendly, low carbon inhaler to replace your MDI one.

“This could be a dry powder inhaler (DPI) or soft mist inhaler (SMI) which do not contain the greenhouse gases.

“Not all patients can use these sorts of inhalers, but many patients find them easier to use.

“Many of them come with dose counters, making it easier to keep a track of your medicines.

“With DPIs you don’t need to co-ordinate pressing and breathing in at the same time. Some of the inhalers prescribed for COPD are once-daily inhalers that work for 24 hours.

“In the meantime, please do keep using your MDI but check that you are doing so correctly so that you get all the benefits.

“If your inhaler review is not due for some time contact your practice and ask to bring it forward to see if you can have one of the lower carbon inhalers.

Inhaler users can brush up on their technique using these videos – https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhaler-videos/