Can I Dispose of Old Dusty Inhalers?
If you have asthma, you may have a stock of used inhalers. You may also not know exactly how to dispose of them – after all, they contain drugs and are generally considered hazardous waste when they are thrown into landfills.
On a recent Reddit thread, users were dumbfounded when u / michiganbell_3 posted a photo of one of the pharmacies collecting used inhalers, realizing for the first time that their plastic crates and aluminum canisters are recyclable, but here’s a warning: it’s not easy to do, at least in the US
As a background, inhalers are especially dangerous when they end up in a landfill because they are under pressure; they may explode if punctured or cause a fire. Many types of inhalers also contain medical waste and can contaminate local water supplies if they leak from canisters. Some older versions of inhalers may also contain ozone-depleting CFCs, but their use has been phased out.
It seems appropriate that inhalers should be properly recycled to avoid these hazards; However, there is none of the existing, national inhaler recycling programs in the US (and the question from Reddit users cannot come from a country like the UK where there is an existing inhaler recycling program).
So, are you out of luck with inhaler recycling if you live in the US? May be. Unlike other drugs, a number of major retailers such as CVS and Walgreens do not accept inhalers as part of their drug take-back programs. And the truth is, if you do find a pharmacy willing to take your inhalers, there is a chance that they may end up disposing of them in the trash anyway.
Find your local pharmacy or hazardous waste recycling facility
The very first thing you should do is look at the disposal instructions on the inhaler; they may indicate what you can and cannot do with your particular device.
Then search the Internet for pharmacies near you, not major retailers, and contact them to see if they will accept your inhalers and how they will dispose of them; they may throw it in the trash can or take it to a hazardous waste facility. This is not traditional recycling, but at least your inhalers are disposed of properly without causing environmental problems.
You can also use the locator on the Drug Enforcement Administration website to find local pharmacies; This is usually for locating controlled substance discharge sites, not inhalers, however you may find it helpful in your search.
If this search fails, search your local roadside recycling program and contact them to see if they will accept inhalers; after all, each program works differently. They may ask you to go to the pharmacy to return the inhalers (which is useless if the pharmacy search has already ended), or they may recommend a nearby hazardous waste storage facility.
If you want to avoid this step altogether, just look for a hazardous waste collection point near you; this can be useful after you have accumulated a significant amount of inhalers.
And if you have no options, throwing it in the bin is not the worst thing you can do; The FDA even recommends disposing of inhalers in your household trash on its website. To prevent them from leaking into landfill, try wrapping them in a plastic bag and mixing them with earth or cat litter. Be sure to remove any personal information from the label for your privacy.