MYGroup has been appointed licensed waste management partner for CircuBack, a new take-back scheme for pharmacies and other dispensing outlets enabling patients to return their used blister packs at the convenience of collecting a prescription.
CircuBack is an initiative of the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA), managed by TDi Sustainability.
The collection process is being coordinated by Cencora Alliance Healthcare (CAH), which will collect filled blister pack recycling bins from participating retail pharmacies and other dispensing outlets across its UK service network, coordinated through its normal product delivery rounds. CAH deliver products to over 17,000 pharmacies, doctors, hospitals and health centres nationwide.
MYGroup, which holds permits to process complex healthcare and clinical waste streams, is handling the recycling of blister packs collected through the scheme at its specialist facility in Hull, East Yorkshire, where a dedicated separation line recovers the plastic and aluminium for safe and compliant reuse.
Recovered materials are sent back to supply chains wherever possible or used by MYGroup’s ReFactory™ arm to be manufactured into new materials and products, including items from MYboard™, a durable wood replacement made from heated and pressed waste plastic.
The CircuBack scheme is brand-agnostic, with all types and brands of empty blister packs accepted, and no purchase required to participate. While blister packs should be returned empty, any residual medicines or vitamins will be segregated and processed separately by MYGroup in full compliance with the appropriate regulations.
CircuBack extends an established MYGroup capability into the UK pharmacy and dispensing network. The company already operates in-store blister pack collection with Boots across more than 800 stores nationwide, as well as with Tesco, in partnership with consumer healthcare company Kenvue, together with programmes for GP surgeries and veterinary practices.
MYGroup Managing Director, Michael Derbyshire, attends the launch of the CircuBack scheme at Hedon Pharmacy in Hull, alongside the town’s mayor, representatives from Cencora, the MHRA and CiPPPA members, including AbbVie, Haleon, Reckitt, Solstice and UCB
Blister packs are one of the most common forms of pharmaceutical packaging: around 85% of solid unit drug doses in Europe are packed in blister packs. Their composite structure of plastic and aluminium foil makes them difficult to recycle through household collections, meaning most end up in landfill or incineration, wasting valuable resources and contributing to avoidable emissions.
Globally, 36 million tons of blister packs are produced. In the United Kingdom, the NHS alone is estimated to use over 150 million blister packs annually. While blister packs serve a vital functional role in modern medicine, their environmental footprint has become an increasing cause for concern.
Reach is what determines whether a take-back scheme works. Our nationwide retail partnerships have proven the public appetite for recycling blister packs, so we’re pleased to extend our service into the pharmacy and dispensing landscape at scale, benefiting from already established logistics. As the leading UK recycler in this space, having recycled millions of packs to date, we’re proud to continue building a reality – nationwide – where no blister pack has to end up in landfill or incineration.
Steve Carrie, Group Director, MYGroup
Blister packs are often considered among the most challenging components of primary pharmaceutical packaging and medicinal devices to recycle, and historically efforts at recycling were siloed and fragmented. Last year’s launch of ReHale Phase II demonstrated the power of pre-competitive, industry-wide collaboration, and now, with the national launch of CircuBack, this approach is scaling even further. Thanks to the technical expertise, practical input, and financial commitment of our members, years of dedication have delivered significant progress, achieving what once seemed almost impossible. The programme is driving systemic change across the sector and supporting behaviour change among the public, marking a major milestone in advancing circular solutions for pharmaceutical packaging.
Maryam Babba, Ph.D., Program Lead for CiPPPA, TDi Sustainability
