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Wholesaler Cencora Alliance Healthcare and environmental consultants MYGroup have lent their support to a new blister pack recycling scheme encouraging the public to return their pharmaceutical packaging to pharmacies.
The CircuBack scheme has been spearheaded by non-profit the Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA), which shared estimates that the NHS uses over 150 million blister packs annually.

The initiative encourages patients to return their blister packs to participating pharmacies, GP surgeries and hospital dispensing sites, with a specialist waste management partner collecting packs and recycling them in compliance with environmental and health and safety regulations.

CiPPPA spokesperson Maryam Babba said: "Blister packs are often considered among the most challenging components of primary pharmaceutical packaging and medicinal devices to recycle, and historically efforts at recycling were siloed and fragmented.

“Last year’s launch of ReHale Phase II demonstrated the power of pre-competitive, industry-wide collaboration, and now, with the launch of CircuBack, this approach is scaling even further.

“Thanks to the technical expertise, practical input, and financial commitment of our members, years of dedication have delivered significant progress, achieving what once seemed almost impossible.

“The programme is driving systemic change across the sector and supporting behaviour change among the public, marking a major milestone in advancing circular solutions for pharmaceutical packaging."