A company specialising in recycling ‘hard-to-recycle’ waste has created a range of Zero Waste Boxes specifically for pharmacies.

The boxes are designed to allow pharmacies to recycle disposable face masks, gloves and empty medicine blister packs – waste that isn’t collected by councils and is usually destined for landfill or incineration. 

Manufacturer TerraCycle said waste such as face masks and blister packs contain a mix of materials which makes separating and processing them too complex and expensive for councils to accept in kerbside collections.

The company claimed that using the boxes can help pharmacies become hubs for communities to give used face masks, gloves and blister packs a second life, as it works with third-party processors who turn the waste into a reusable raw material for new products such as outdoor furniture and school playground equipment.

The price of each box includes the cost of delivery, a pre-paid shipping label which allows the customer to send it back to TerraCycle, and the cost of the recycling process itself.

The new range comprises the Empty Blister Packs Zero Waste Box, starting at £91.50 for a small box for over 1500 units of waste, the Disposable Gloves and Face Masks Zero Waste Box from £139.15 and the Disposable Face Masks Zero Waste Box from £132.72.

The discount code PHARMA20 can be used up to May 31 to get 20 per cent off. 

Niki Watts from Vale of Neath Pharmacy in Glynneath, South Wales, who has been using TerraCycle’s boxes to recycle blister packs, said: “Reducing our environmental impact has become a core part of our business, and tackling the amount of waste we were sending to landfill is integral to this. 

“The box is proving very popular with staff and customers alike. In fact, we’ve gained new customers who share our eco-friendly mindset and have seen an increase in footfall as a result of the boxes.”