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Patients who visit Peterborough City can now bring in their old or unused inhalers to be disposed of appropriately in specially designated bins.  

Some inhalers use a gas, known as propellants, to create a puff of medicine, which is then inhaled by the person using them. These types of inhalers are called pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), and more commonly referred to as 'puffers' or 'spray' inhalers. The propellants in pMDIs are powerful greenhouse gases and are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Inhalers are widely used by people with respiratory conditions, and it's important for patients to understand their inhalers, what they do and how to use them correctly. This also includes how to dispose of them in the best way so as not to harm the environment. 

More than 12 million people in the UK are currently affected by respiratory conditions and an estimated 73 million inhalers are prescribed in the UK each year, which accounts for around 3% of total NHS UK emissions.

The recycling waste stream is situated within the Respiratory Investigations Department within the Outpatients Department at Peterborough City Hospital. Patients attending the hospital simply need to bring their used or unwanted pressure meter dosed inhalers, to a member of staff within Respiratory Investigations or the main outpatient/treatment centre desk, where a staff member will proceed to recycle the inhaler. Patients are urged to make sure they remove any personal information off the inhaler prior to handing it in. 

Full bins are collected by a specialist recycling company. Every part of the inhaler is broken down and recycled, even the gases left in the inhaler once it is 'empty.'

This initiative was led on by the Trust's Respiratory Investigations Team, with Lauren-Jayne Randell, Apprentice Healthcare Scientist in Respiratory and Sleep and a member of the Trusts Green Champion Network at the forefront of the project:

“I'm really passionate about this because it is something that our patients and community are asking for; they want to know how to dispose of their inhalers correctly and I'm pleased that we can provide that waste stream that will improve our carbon footprint and be better for the environment.” 

“I hope that this initiative will develop, and we could start doing the same at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, in our smaller hospitals such as Stamford and Doddington, and across our inpatient wards.”

The Trust remains committed to taking steps to reduce carbon emissions and delivering sustainable healthcare to protect the wellbeing of our local communities for generations to come.