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www.openprescribing.net/environmental_inhalers

25% of carbon emissions in primary care are due to inhalers

It is better to need less inhalers and have better asthma/COPD control for you and the environment. So the first question to ask is- how can I need less inhalers? Not how can we make inhalers less harmful? Less inhalers= less plastic, less disposal and less energy!

Have a listen to this podcast from Inside Health- learn about the environmental impact of inhalers and how switching might make life easier in managing your asthma or COPD as well as being much better for the planet! BBC: Asthma inhalers and Covid antivirals.

Remember:

• Quitting smoking will help! – Stop Smoking
• Reviewing your technique will help! www.asthma.org.uk/common-inhaler-mistakes
• Get enthusiastic about air pollution! www.asthma.org.uk/air-pollution-affects-asthma
• Clean Air Hub is a great place for information on how air pollution is affecting our health, especially for those who already have breathing difficulties – air pollution drives a large number of flare ups of these conditions and contributes to deaths every year.
• DEFRA: up to date air pollution levels in Scarborough 
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) also share information about air pollution as a problem on a global scale.
• Send us a message online if you need to speak to a nurse or GP- if you’re needing your blue inhaler regularly, something needs sorting! Needing it less will be better for you and the planet!

Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) are those that produce a fine mist- most people who use an inhaler will be familiar with this type. Unfortunately, they account for a lot of carbon. They contain hydrofluorocarbons which is very bad for our environment (thousands of times more potent than CO2). This is not the same as CFC- free (you may see that CFC free is on some inhalers- this is because CFC was banned some time ago)

Greeninhaler have produced this graphic showing just how harmful our inhalers are- in the first, a single Ventolin Evohaler (28kg CO2= 175miles), in the second a dry powder inhaler (1kg=4miles).

If you’re interested in changing your blue inhaler to a dry powder inhaler, we would recommend a conversation with our clinicians- switching will be suitable for most without affecting their asthma or COPD in any noticeable way. However, we need to check if would be the right thing for you: www.nice.org.uk/inhalers-for-asthma-patient-decision

You might notice us discussing the environmental impact of inhalers in your review and opportunistically when your asthma or COPD comes up in conversation. Most people don’t even stop to think about the impact of their inhalers, but why would you? We don’t think it’s anyone’s fault but we do think it’s our job to have the conversation with you- after that it’s your choice. You can stay as you are, but we also know many of our patients will want to manage their health in an eco friendly way just was much as they try to buy less plastic or reuse more items!

The idea of this information is not to make anyone feel guilty, but we do think people should be informed.

Flutiform and Symbicort MDIs have the post potent HFC in them 3,320 times more potent than CO2.

Dry powder inhalers are easy to get used to and usually contain a dose counter (unlike MDIs) so you know when you’re likely to run out. Asthma UK hosts lots of videos to explain how to use your individual inhaler. www.asthma.org.uk/inhaler-videos. Green Inhaler explains more plus there is advice about what you can do if a DPI is not suitable for you, or you’d prefer not to switch right now.

Recycling – we are planning to work with our local pharmacies to encourage participation in the remaining recycling scheme available and will campaign to make a properly resourced government funded scheme to be made available. In the meantime, please take any used inhalers back to your chemist as they may be able to submit them for incineration which is better than landfill. This prevents the damaging gasses from leaking further into the atmosphere. They are not suitable for your recycling bins – sorry!

Want to know where your inhaler sits on the green list? Have a look at the tables.

Go Green – Our Environment