Environmental Impact of Inhalation Devices
Summary
Inhalation therapies for respiratory disease encompass a variety of devices, chiefly pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs), each with distinct environmental profiles. pMDIs rely on hydrofluorocarbon propellants, which contribute disproportionately to greenhouse gas emissions, whereas DPIs dispense medication without propellants and thus exhibit lower global-warming potential. Life-cycle assessments reveal that manufacturing, packaging and end-of-life disposal all shape the overall carbon footprint, with propellant release during use often dominating in pMDIs and raw materials driving impact in DPIs. The choice of device also intersects with clinical effectiveness, patient adherence and healthcare infrastructure. As health systems pursue net-zero targets, attention is focusing on greener inhaler design, prescribing pathways that favour low-carbon options where clinically appropriate, and circular-economy approaches for end-of-life recovery and recycling. Such strategies carry global significance, offering practical routes to reduce the climate burden of respiratory care without compromising patient outcomes.
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Environmental Impact of Inhalation Devices publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in environmental impact of inhalation devices across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI): A device that delivers aerosolised medication using a propellant gas under pressure.
Dry powder inhaler (DPI): A breath-activated device that disperses powdered drug formulations without propellant.
Global warming potential (GWP): A metric expressing the warming impact of a greenhouse gas relative to carbon dioxide over a specified time frame.
Life-cycle assessment (LCA): A systematic analysis of environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life, from raw-material extraction to disposal.
Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) propellant: High-GWP gases used in pMDIs to generate aerosol clouds for drug delivery.
References
- Carbon Footprints and Life Cycle Assessments of Inhalers: A Review of Published Evidence. Sustainability (2022).
- Understanding the feasibility and environmental effectiveness of a pilot postal inhaler recovery and recycling scheme. npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (2023).
- The carbon footprint associated with the overuse of short-acting β2-agonists in asthma patients. Environmental Research Communications (2024).
- Effective respiratory management of asthma and COPD and the environmental impacts of inhalers. npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (2023).
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