Asthmatics encouraged to switch to lower carbon footprint inhalers

An image showing a woman using an inhaler

Source: © Shutterstock

The majority of inhalers prescribed in UK contain a potent greenhouse gas

The UK’s National Institute for health and Care Excellence (Nice) has introduced a guide for asthma patients that aims to help them make more environmentally friendly choices about the kind of inhaler to use.

Some inhalers are greener than others. Metered dose inhalers, for example, use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – potent greenhouse gases that persist in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming – as propellants.