Breathe well

Patients in our area who use inhalers to manage their respiratory condition are being offered switches to ‘greener’ inhalers with lower carbon footprints. This is in a move to help reduce the carbon emissions released from inhalers, which currently account for approximately 3% of the NHS carbon footprint. 

If you use inhalers, your healthcare professional can help you explore whether you are suitable for a version that contains less, or even no greenhouse gases, such as dry powder inhalers. Your healthcare professional might raise this with you directly at your next respiratory review or you can ask them to discuss this with you during the review. 

You might also receive a text or letter from your GP practice if you use a reliever inhaler, letting you know that your device is changing. Reliever inhalers are usually blue and are used to provide quick relief from symptoms as they appear. The switch will be to an inhaler that contains the same reliever medicine (salbutamol) but up to three times less carbon and greenhouse gases, making it more environmentally friendly. 

Not everyone will be suitable for a switch, but there are other inhaler-related changes that can be made to help tackle carbon emissions. These include using your inhaler as prescribed, being confident with your inhaler technique and returning all used inhalers to your local pharmacy – find a nearby pharmacy.   

Read the information under the subheadings below to understand what these changes mean for you:

Your last inhaler review took place recently 

If you are using a reliever inhaler with a high carbon footprint, your health professional is likely to change this to one that has a lower carbon footprint without an appointment. Your new reliever inhaler will be more environmentally friendly. 

Until your next review is scheduled, there are other ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your current inhalers and make sure your condition is well managed. You should: 

• use your inhaler as prescribed  

• make sure you are confident with your inhaler technique 

• follow your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan so you know what to do if your symptoms get worse 

• return all used inhalers to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of in an environmentally safe way. 

It’s been over a year since your last inhaler review 

Most people with asthma or COPD will have a respiratory review with a health professional at their GP practice at least once a year. Usually, your GP surgery will invite you for this, although if they haven't, it's fine to book an appointment for this yourself. There is useful advice on the Asthma+Lung UK website about how to make the most of your inhaler review. 

Between your reviews, make sure your respiratory condition is well managed. Do this by using your inhaler as prescribed and following your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan. You should also learn how you can improve your inhaler technique. 

You already have a CFC-free inhaler 

Chlorofluorohydrocarbon (CFC) free reliever inhalers contain propellant gases which send medicines out of the device and into your lungs. Propellants are greenhouse gases. When released into the atmosphere, the gases stay in the air and trap the sun’s heat, like glass does in a greenhouse. This warms the planet, which is a problem for the climate. Climate change increases air pollution which can worsen lung conditions. 

Your GP practice might ask your pharmacist to change your reliever inhaler to a ‘greener inhaler’ that contains less of this propellant gas. The more environmentally friendly inhaler that you receive is likely to be branded as Salamol®.  

You might notice that your new inhaler looks or tastes slightly different, but that’s nothing to worry about. The more environmentally friendly inhaler will deliver the same medication in the same way with the same dose. 

At your next respiratory review, your health professional will explore your suitability for any other inhalers that are more environmentally friendly. They may raise this with you directly or you can ask them to discuss this with you during your review. 

Until your next review is scheduled, there are other ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your current inhalers and make sure your condition is well managed. You should: 

• use your inhaler as prescribed   

• check your inhaler technique – find out more on how to use your inhaler correctly. 

• follow your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan so you know what to do if your symptoms get worse  

• return all used inhalers to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of in an environmentally safe way. Find a pharmacy close to you or find out more about inhaler disposal.

Your GP practice has been in touch about a switch to a Salamol®/more environmentally friendly inhaler and you have questions 

You don't need to do anything for the switch to happen. It will be there when you receive your next reliever inhaler from the pharmacy.  

When collecting your new inhaler, let your pharmacist know if your prescription has changed. They can give you training on how to use it through a  New Medicines Service (NMS) check, so do ask them about this if you’re interested. There are also online inhaler technique videos and advice for you to follow. 

For more useful advice about changing inhalers, visit the Asthma+Lung UK website. If you still have queries, you can speak to your community pharmacist - find a local pharmacy - or get in touch with your GP practice.