GlaxoSmithKline and Co-operative Pharmacy launch inhaler recycling scheme

GlaxoSmithKline has launched a new inhaler recycling scheme that it hopes will reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill in the UK each year.

Working in partnership with Co-operative Pharmacy, the firm hopes to reuse 69,000 respiratory inhalers over the next 12 months, following a trial which was carried out earlier this year.

This pilot scheme saw 6,000 inhalers that would normally have been discarded returned to 40 pharmacies across the country.

GlaxoSmithKline commercial operations director Nick Lowen commented: "We are fully committed to finding innovative ways to increase our use of renewable materials and create less waste."

He added that the Complete the Cycle initiative hopes to "dramatically reduce" the release of greenhouse gas propellants by recycling and properly disposing of these items in the months and years ahead.

Last month, GlaxoSmithKline reported a strong third quarter performance for 2011, with underlying sales growth of six per cent and a one per cent rise in earnings per share before restructuring to 28.5p.