Environmental impact of inhalers - average carbon footprint per salbutamol inhaler by practices in NHS NORTH EAST LONDON

Why it matters:

The updated BTS/NICE/SIGN guidance on asthma management recommends basing inhaler choice on:

• an assessment of correct technique
• the preference of the person receiving the treatment
• the lowest environmental impact among suitable devices
• the presence of an integral dose counter.

The NHS has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 80% by 2028 to 2032, including a shift to lower carbon inhalers.

Salbutamol metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are the single biggest source of carbon emissions from NHS medicines prescribing.

The NHS England National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities for 2024/25 identify reducing carbon emissions from inhalers as an area for improvement.

Data on carbon emissions per salbutamol inhaler can be viewed in the table here.

Description: Mean carbon impact (kg CO₂e) per salbutamol inhaler prescribed

Explore:

• Compare all Sub-ICB Locations in England on this measure.
• View this measure on the analyse page.
• View technical details for this measure.

Tagged as: Standard, Greener NHS, National medicines optimisation opportunities, Respiratory (or browse all measures for this Sub-ICB Location)

Practices are ordered by mean percentile over the past six months, with the worst-performing at the top. Each chart shows the results for the individual practice, plus deciles across all practices in the NHS in England.

View measure as combined total for this Sub-ICB Location →