Tablet blister pack recycling scheme underway

Nimbuscare's sustainability lead Dr Rumina Önac, is leading the way in encouraging more people to recycle their empty tablet packaging. Here she tells us why and how we can help.

"Like many people, my bathroom shelves creak under the weight of boxes of tablets, lotions and potions, all designed to help ward off illness and treat minor injuries and cuts and scrapes; My forays into eco-friendlyliving have meant I now scrutinise every healthcare and toiletry purchase, looking for items that have the simplest packaging and the lowest transport footprint. I try to avoid those film sheaths that often bind multi-packs together.

Unfortunately medicine packaging hasn’t moved much in my table of environmental excellence over the past few years. Clearly it has to be robust, withstand temperature changes and inquisitive little hands and paws, and protect its important contents. The majority of tablets come in a plastic/foil ‘blister pack’ strip, and there are usually two or more of these strips in a cardboard box, wrapped in a leaflet that’s always at the end of the packet you decide to open (how do they know?!). We’re lucky that these used boxes and leaflets can go in our kerbside recycling, but until recently, there has been no way to repurpose or recycle the blister packs. And despite repeated petitioning, manufacturers have not yet developed a reusable pathway for them.

They're often put in kerbside recycling and they really shouldn't be; they’re a complex mix of foil and plastic that can only be broken down by a few niche recycling hubs and we’re lucky to have one close by in Hull: ReFactory. With generous funding from the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Sciences Network we’ve just started to kit out over 20 sites across the Vale of York with special recycling boxes for these empty blister packs, which, as a city-wide roll-out is a UK-first. There are boxes in the city centre and in some of our more rural villages. Similarboxes already existed in some Superdrug pharmacies around the UK, but we didn't have any here in York and patients were asking what to do with their empties. So we were determined to make this accessible to all patients locally, and are delighted to have this opportunity.

The recycling boxes shown here can only be used for empty blister packs. Any unused or unwanted medicines should be returned to the pharmacy they came from (this includes inhalers and liquids – neither of which can go in these boxes, even when empty), and as always, if you're struggling to take your medication because of side effects or concerns please speak to your Pharmacist or GP Surgery. We’re grateful for the support of all our amazing sites and for the publicity from BBC Radio York and the York Press. The precise locations of recycling boxes may change depending on footfall and how quickly they fill, and a few of our sites are not yet up and running, so this list will be regularly added to and updated. Watch this space or ask at your local practice or pharmacy!

Open: Mon 8:00-20:15, Tue-Fri 8:00 – 18:00

Tablet blister pack recycling scheme underway

Medicine blister pack recycling scheme launches across the Vale of York

Nimbuscare's sustainability lead Dr Rumina Önac, is leading the way in encouraging more people to recycle their empty tablet packaging. Here she tells us why and how we can help.

Available empty blister recycling points

Elvington Medical Practice

Nimbuscare Health Centre (Acomb Garth)

Old School Medical Practice (Copmanthorpe & Bishopthorpe)

Our member practices