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Re-Hale: Expanding inhaler recycling across Kent

Every year, the UK distributes approximately 60 million inhalers1, contributing significantly to the NHS's carbon footprint. Re-Hale, an innovative inhaler recycling programme, has already demonstrated its potential in East Kent by collecting over 40,000 inhalers and saving around 180 tonnes of CO₂. Phase 1 of this project was conducted as a collaborative working project between Chiesi Ltd and Kent 
and Medway ICB.

Building on this success, Re-Hale is now expanding to cover the whole of Kent, thanks to a new collaboration between the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) and NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Together, we aim to make inhaler recycling more accessible than ever, helping pharmacies and dispensaries lead the way in creating a more sustainable future.

What is Re-Hale?

Re-Hale is a comprehensive inhaler recycling programme designed to:

  • 1. Enable inhaler recycling
    Reduce the environmental impact of propellant gases by diverting inhalers from domestic waste and recycling their components.
  • 2. Provide convenient recycling access
    Make recycling accessible and straightforward for pharmacies, dispensaries, and patients.
  • 3. Expand a proven framework
    Build on the successful pilot to create a sustainable, scalable recycling initiative across Kent.
  • 4. Measure impact
    Track carbon savings and material recovery to drive sustainability in healthcare.

The Re-Hale process

Encourage patients to return used / unwanted inhalers to your dispensary Complete Re-Hale Registration Form Registration Form & Duty of Care Waste Transfer Note To register your participation, please complete the form below . Your registration form will also act as your waste transfer note. Please note that Alliance Healthcare will retain a copy of this transfer note and may use the contact details supplied to help manage this service. See Privacy Notices on page 3 for more information. I confirm that this is the address of the collection point 47730 Full name of key pharmacy contact(s) Pharmacy address E-mail address of key contact Postcode Alliance Healthcare account number SIC code (2007) Pharmacy name Name of Unitary Authority or Council Pharmacy telephone number (Continued on page 2) Page 1 of 3 Put the poster up in the dispensary Re-Hale: Recycle your used or unwanted inhalers To learn more about our inhaler recycling scheme, please visit www.cipppa.org or scan the QR code. How can I start recycling? Scan the QR code to fi nd your nearest participating pharmacy to recycle your inhaler This work is part of a collaboration between the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) initiative and NHS Kent and Medway. For more information, please visit www.cipppa.org. This poster has been adapted from Re-Hale phase 1, a collaborative working project between Chiesi Ltd and Kent and Medway ICB. PHARMACY Recycle your used or unwanted inhalers Receive Welcome Pack from Alliance Healthcare WELCOME PACK Set up the Re-Hale Recycling Box in the dispensary Tell your patients about Re-Hale Plastic, propellant and aluminium are recycled 10 To order more green recycling bags contact rehale@skills-in- healthcare.co.uk 11 Alliance Healthcare will collect your green recycling bags. You keep the box and put in a new bag to keep collecting 9 When the Re-Hale box is full, book a collection with Alliance Healthcare on www.myahportal.co.uk (click on recycling collection request) 8 Collect returned inhalers in Re-Hale box lined with the green recycling bag 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

How can your pharmacy/dispensary participate in Re-Hale?

Thank you for your interest in Re-Hale! Your pharmacy or dispensary plays a vital role in this recycling effort, and joining the scheme won’t cost you anything extra.

To become part of the Re-Hale programme and support sustainable healthcare, simply click below:

Join the Re-Hale scheme

 

If your pharmacy or dispensary isn’t located in Kent, you can still register your interest to help drive future expansion:

Register your interest

 

Why participate?

  • Sustainability leadership
    Join a growing movement to reduce healthcare’s carbon footprint.
  • Convenience for patients
    Offer your customers an easy way to recycle their inhalers responsibly.
  • No additional costs
    The programme is free to participate in, with logistics managed by the Re-Hale team.

Key facts:

  • 1. Number of inhalers used annually: In the United Kingdom, around 60 million inhalers are issued annually.1 This number can be expected to vary by country and region.
  • 2. Environmental impact: Inhalers are a contributor to the healthcare sector's carbon footprint. They account for 3% of NHS's total Carbon footprint.2
  • 3. Materials used: Inhalers are typically made from a combination of plastics, metals, propellants and other materials. Many of these materials are durable and recyclable.
  • 4. Waste disposal: Historically, many inhalers have been disposed of either via incineration or sent to landfills. This has raised environmental concerns due to the lack of recycling.

This work is part of a collaboration between the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) initiative and NHS Kent and Medway. For more information on the companies involved in this initiative, please visit cipppa.org/re-hale-inhaler-recycling.


1.    https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/2023/02/blog-delivering-high-quality-low-carbon-respiratory-care/
2.    https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/whats-already-happening/improving-health-outcomes-for-respiratory-patients-while-reducing-carbon-emissions/


Last updated April 2025