Movianto UK Helps GSK to "Complete the Cycle" as Innovative Inhaler Recycling Programme Expands UK Wide
BEDFORD, England, April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Movianto UK, the leading European pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics provider, is taking part in an initiative to recycle inhalers used to treat asthma and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
The GSK Complete the Cycle inhaler recycling and recovery Scheme collects and recycles used inhalers across the UK to reduce the impact on the environment caused by the landfill disposal of inhalers. The Scheme operates in partnership with over 1,700 pharmacies throughout the country. Patients can now simply return their used inhalers when they visit the pharmacy with repeat prescriptions. With Movianto serving pharmacies around the UK, the company is well-placed to support the Scheme by collecting the used inhalers from the pharmacies they deliver medicines to.
At present approx. 73 million inhalers are used in the UK each year and 63% of these patients dispose of their inhalers in their domestic rubbish bins. However, GSK has calculated that if every inhaler-user in the UK returned all their appliances for one year, this would save 512,330 tonnes of CO2eq. This is an equivalent of a Volkswagen golf driving around the world 88,606 times. The "Complete the Cycle" programme allows patients to take their inhalers to the local pharmacy and dispose of them there. A further benefit is the interaction between pharmacist and patient during this initiative: A pilot scheme showed that 29% of the inhalers returned were not empty; on return to the pharmacy, the staff was able to show patients how to improve the use of their inhaler, manage their condition and also help reduce medicine wastage.
With its own validated transportation fleet consisting of over 200 dual temperature vehicles, Movianto delivers to every healthcare outlet weekly and in some cases more frequently. It was possible to build a solution which meant zero extra miles, thus adding further to the sustainable credentials of the project and making Movianto UK the ideal logistics provider for GSK's "Complete the Cycle".
Managing Director of Movianto UK, Russell Atkinson, is proud to participate in the programme: "As a logistics company travelling the width and breadth of the country on a daily basis, we are continually looking for ways to further improve our environmental footprint. This scheme allows us to serve the industry and take part in an innovative recycling concept at the same time," he stated.
PR Contact Movianto
Movianto UK Ltd
John Wilson
1 Progress Park, Bedford MK42 9XE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44-(0)1234-248774
Mobile: +44-(0)7816-324334
Email: john.wilson@movianto.com
PR Contact GSK
Philippa Manning
GlaxoSmithKline UK
Phone: +44-(0)208-990-2982
Mobile: +44-(0)7909-002344
Email: philippa.x.manning@gsk.com
Vineeta Manglani
Sympra GmbH (GPRA)
Stafflenbergstrasse 32, 70184 Stuttgart, Germany
Tel.: +49-(0)711-947-670
Fax: +49-(0)711-947-67-87
Email: movianto@sympra.de
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