Outrage as Superdrug cancels medicinal blister pack recycling scheme

Superdrug sponsored the scheme and people collected the blister packs to take into the Salisbury branch where they were eventually processed into new plastic pellets. 

A local environment group LEAF (Local Environment Action Friends)participated in the scheme but has been left with thousands of collected unrecyclable packaging. 

Bags of medicinal packaging collected for recycling (Image: Julie Strawson)

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Hanging Langford resident, Tracy Burge said: “As soon as I mentioned I was collecting blister packs everyone started giving them to me. This was something that everyone wanted to help in."

“I’m really crestfallen that something that we started in good faith has turned out to be such an impossible thing to do. We all need a greener planet. We all need to make thoughtful decisions. Can they really justify why they need to do the tablet wrapping in such a way?”

The team collected many bags of pill packets and delivered infrequently to reduce the carbon footprint. 

Tracy said: "We even had a plea for help from the GP surgeries at Codford and Wilton as they had no options for recycling through the NHS. After a year of collecting, thousands of blister packets were coming in from the Langfords and beyond."

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Having received thousands of packs, LEAF tried to find a way to dispose of them responsibly but the only option would have led to a direct cost to the group which focusses on awareness rather than on fundraising. 

LEAF awareness group collected thousands of medicinal packaging for recycling (Image: Julie Strawson)

Chair of LEAF, Julie Strawson said: “The cost of dealing with industry rubbish should not be borne by the consumer. Either the Council should be funding proper recycling of these packets or the pharmaceutical companies need to stop making these packets.”

“We’ve already had to dispose of some to make space in our homes. Taking them all down to the tip after such a lot of hard work and dedication would feel like total failure but we don’t have thousands of pounds to spend sorting out the situation that big Pharma has created."

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Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for waste, Councillor Nick Holder, said, “Unfortunately, as medicinal blister packs are made of mixed materials (plastic and foil) we are unable to accept these items in with our kerbside recycling collections.

"Some Boots stores do offer a blister pack recycling scheme, people can find out more about this scheme and where their nearest participating store is on the Boots website 'Recycle your medicine & vitamin blister packets.' 

"People can also check with their local pharmacy to see if they offer a take-back recycling service. If unable to find a recycling service nearby, these items can be put into their general household waste bins."

According to Boots website, there is no blister pack recycling facility for Salisbury.

Aldi supermarket operated a similar scheme but this has also stopped. 

A spokesperson for the company said: “We have seen a high uptake for our blister pack recycling trial and we have temporarily paused the programme while we assess its performance.”

Superdrug were contacted for comment, but did not respond.