4 November 2026
A pioneering recycling scheme, which has been able to repurpose more than 20,000 inhalers from Walsall and Wolverhampton patients in three years, has won a national award.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust are celebrating the national recognition after their pioneering iNSPIRE inhaler recycling scheme won the David Williams Award for Social Contribution through Plastics 2026.
The award (part of the BPF Horners Awards) is awarded to those who make a significant social contribution through plastics.
It was awarded for the first time in 2022 in honour of the late David Williams, a Horners past master and a leading light in the plastics industry.
The award recognises the success of the initiative, which helps patients return used inhalers for safe disposal and recycling while reducing the environmental impact of harmful propellant gases.
The scheme was developed after a Black Country survey led by the project team revealed that 81 per cent of people did not know the correct way to dispose of an inhaler.
Launched in 2023, iNSPIRE brings together the NHS, community pharmacies and industry partners to provide convenient inhaler return points and raise awareness of the environmental benefits of recycling.
Used inhalers are collected through existing NHS waste collection routes, meaning the scheme operates with zero additional collection miles and no extra cost to the NHS.
Janet Smith, Head of Sustainability at the Trusts, said: “We were honoured to receive this award.
“Returning an inhaler through the scheme allows us to address both parts of the problem: recovering the plastic body and safely managing the gas remaining in the canister.
“We wanted to close the information gap, provide convenient return points and recover useful materials while preventing residual propellant from escaping through inappropriate disposal.”
Since launching, the scheme has recovered more than 20,000 inhaler plastic bodies or components for recycling and safely treated more than 13,300 canisters.
Public awareness of correct disposal has increased from 15 per cent to 79 per cent, supported by educational campaigns and webinars for healthcare professionals.
The team hopes the national recognition will help support plans to expand iNSPIRE across the West Midlands and ultimately nationally, enabling more patients to recycle their inhalers and contribute to a greener NHS.
Janet added: “We wanted to share an example of how collaboration between the NHS and the plastics sector can solve a practical environmental problem. This award demonstrates how partnership working can make a meaningful difference for patients, the NHS and the environment.”