Got an old inhaler you no longer need? Ask your pharmacy whether it accepts your type before you bring it in.
Check the product label too, because different inhaler types can have different disposal instructions.
The FDA warns that inhalers can be dangerous if punctured or put in a fire or incinerator.
Don’t crush, puncture, or burn it.
Keep it out of curbside recycling unless your local program accepts that empty device.
Start With the Inhaler Type and Condition
How to Identify Your Inhaler
Pressurized example: 1 is the press-down top, 2 is the metal canister, and 3 is the product label.
Dry-powder examples: 1 shows that shapes vary, and 2 marks where to look for the product label.
Pressurized Metered-Dose Inhalers
These inhalers usually have a metal canister inside a plastic holder called an actuator.
For example, the FDA label for one albuterol sulfate aerosol describes a pressurized aluminum canister and says not to puncture or incinerate it.
Keep your inhaler assembled and capped while you check its label and your local collection rules.
Dry-Powder and Other Non-Aerosol Devices
Don’t assume every inhaler follows the rules for an aerosol can.
The instructions for your product may give you a different disposal method.
The FDA label for the INBRIJA dry-powder system, for example, tells patients to put used capsules and the inhaler in household trash.
That instruction is for INBRIJA, not every dry-powder inhaler.
Follow the label for your brand and model.
Partly Full or Expired Inhalers
Ask your pharmacy whether it has a return program that takes inhalers.
Ordinary medicine drop boxes may reject aerosol products, so call before you bring one in.
Your household hazardous waste program or another special collection may also accept inhalers.
Give the facility the product name and say whether it’s partly full or expired.
Ask whether you need an appointment, how to pack it, and whether the program is limited to local residents.
Empty Inhalers
Local rules decide whether an empty inhaler goes in household trash, so FDA tells you to contact your trash and recycling facility.
If it accepts your empty inhaler in the trash, follow its preparation instructions.
Don’t assume the canister is empty simply because it no longer sprays.
Damaged Inhalers and Replacement Medicine
If the inhaler is leaking, swollen, badly dented, corroded, or fire-damaged, contact household hazardous waste or the manufacturer’s safety line promptly.
Handle a damaged inhaler only when necessary.
If you still need the medicine, ask your pharmacist or prescriber about a replacement before you discard the inhaler.
Do Not Separate the Canister at Home
Many inhalers combine plastic with a pressurized metal medicine canister.
That mix doesn’t make either part suitable for curbside recycling.
Only take the device apart when the manufacturer’s instructions allow it and your local program accepts the separated part.
Never flush the medicine, burn the inhaler, or fire it repeatedly into the air to empty the canister.
Your pharmacist can answer questions about the medicine, while your local waste department decides where the inhaler goes.
Questions to Ask Before Drop-Off
- Do you take my type of inhaler?
- Can I bring a partly full canister?
- Should I keep it assembled and capped?
- Does your ordinary medicine kiosk take aerosol inhalers?
- What should I do if it is leaking or heat-damaged?
Needles and syringes need separate handling, covered in the guide to disposing of needles and syringes.
Don’t put sharps in an inhaler collection bag unless the program clearly says it accepts them.