The packaging used for medications, also known as blister packs, has long been a source of frustration for environmentally conscious Aussies. Because of its mixed materials, most typically plastic and aluminium, these packs can’t be recycled through regular kerbside recycling programs, meaning hundreds of millions end up in landfill each year.
Constructed from a combination of plastic and aluminium, blister packs are difficult to separate using standard recycling systems. This makes them unsuitable for kerbside collection, where mixed material contamination can compromise entire recycling loads, but there’s an exciting new solution that is helping to change that.
Pharmacycle is Australia’s first and only end-to-end program that’s dedicated to recycling medicinal blister packs. Funded by a combination of participating pharmacies, government support, and industry partners, they’ve made an entirely free and convenient drop-off system at locations like Chemist Warehouse and Blooms the Chemist.
In partnership with Panadol and manufacturer Haleon, Pharmacycle has recently completed a highly successful trial, where they gave out complimentary recycling to participants who were eager to get involved.
There are five easy steps that make the program work. First up is the collection process, where blister packs are dropped off at participating pharmacies or sent via Pharmacycle’s at-home satchel program. Then the collected packs are shipped to a specialised recycling facility in Sydney. Next, each shipment gets weighed and inspected, and contaminants, including residual medication or non-recyclable materials, are removed. This is followed by processing, where advanced technology, including shredding, grinding, air-density separation, and electrostatic separation, is used to make sure the aluminium and plastic are fully separated. Finally, the recovered materials are sent to end-users to be repurposed into new products.
This is more than just convenient, this is a realistic solution to one of the most common sources of domestic waste. With millions of Australians using blister-packed medications every year, the potential environmental benefit is huge, and by offering full traceability and transparency, Pharmacycle makes sure that materials collected are actually recycled, not just stockpiled or shipped offshore.
This is a great thing to get involved with, helping you and fellow Aussies get on the front foot when it comes to recycling!
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