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Inhaler recycling introduced at Sheffield Children’s

Patient using the inhaler recyclingbins
26 October 2022

Say hello to Archie – he’s the perfect patient to show you our newest way of going green!

Sheffield Children’s recently placed three animal bins around our Outpatients Department. But these bins are for a very special purpose – they’re only for used inhalers.

The propellants used in some inhalers are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Even after an inhaler is finished it still contains these environmentally damaging gases. They aren’t harmful to people who use inhalers though.

Currently the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of inhalers is to return them to a pharmacy for incineration which significantly degrades the harmful greenhouse gases they still contain.

10-year-old Archie knows all about inhalers because he has been coming to Sheffield Children’s for asthma treatment since he was just three years old, and still has regular appointments with the team.

He previously only used a blue inhaler, which is normally used for short-term fixes and helps relieve symptoms but does not prevent the asthma process and symptoms therefore happen again. Archie now also has a purple inhaler – known as a combination inhaler – which provides him with a longer-term preventative steroid as well as short-term relief. 

His mum Beccy said: “Archie used to have trouble getting the air into his system properly but since his referral to Sheffield Children’s it’s been under control and that’s removed a worry for us – especially during the winter.”

Outside Sheffield Children’s, Archie is also part of his school’s Eco-Committee who are trying to make their little world a more environmentally friendly place.

Archie said: “Our Eco-Committee looks at lots of different ways to be more green but we have recently focused on how eco the school is. We ran a campaign to switch lights off and save electricity, and we also do litter picks.”

There are 12 young people in the school’s Eco-Committee, with each class nominating a representative. Archie’s campaign was helped when he wrote his own manifesto on how he could improve things for everyone in the school!

Our Asthma service have also been busy canvassing as they recently conducted a survey of families who visited them and discovered that 42% didn’t know that inhalers cannot currently be recycled via domestic recycling.  However, 94% said they would be happy to return empty inhalers to a pharmacy.

Dr Sam Flowers, Clinical Lead for Sustainable Asthma Prescribing for the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Children and Young People’s Asthma Transformation Programme, said: “We are proud at Sheffield Children’s to be leading the way on greener inhaler disposal. Returning used or unwanted inhalers to a pharmacy is a simple and effective way to help protect our planet for this and future generations.”

How can I recycle my inhaler?

All used inhalers – minus the spacer – can be returned to your local pharmacy or Sheffield Children’s for safer disposal in one of our special animal bins. By returning inhalers you’ll also prevent inhaler plastics going to landfill.

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