GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has rolled out an inhaler recycling scheme to 200 Co-operative pharmacies in England and Wales and invited pharmacists across the UK to take part.

The scheme, which was successfully tested earlier this year, could potentially save more than 69,000 respiratory inhalers from reaching landfill in just one year, according to GSK.

The Complete the Cycle pilot saw 6,000 inhalers that would normally have been disposed of returned to 40 pharmacies in six months, GSK claimed.

The manufacturer hopes the scheme will "dramatically reduce" the environmental impacts associated with disposing of inhalers and the greenhouse gas propellant they release.

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

"Complete the Cycle is just one of the ways we are working to achieve this, but to increase the beneficial impact we encourage pharmacists across the country to get involved," he added.

Patients who are dispensed a GSK respiratory inhaler at participating pharmacies will be informed that the device can be recycled and encouraged to return it when they go back for a repeat prescription.

The recycling scheme is being run in collaboration with TerraCycle UK, with pharmacists filling specially designed recycling boxes with inhalers and then returning them to the recycling company.

"To date the public response to the initiative has been very promising," said TerraCycle UK general manager Chris Baker.

"The general public is very familiar with the idea of recycling consumer goods such as plastics or glass, but this move into medical devices arena presents a significant step," he added.

For more information on the scheme visit www.health.gsk.co.uk.