While it is possible to refill your laundry soap containers and spice jars in many businesses offering bulk purchasing, a majority of pharmacies refuse their customers the reuse of their medication vials.
For what ? This is the question asked by Louise Lavallée, reader of The Press. “I have already asked my pharmacy [de réutiliser mes flacons de pilules], but I was told it wouldn’t be possible. So much plastic wasted! »
M’s pharmacyme Lavallée is not an exception. According to an unscientific survey carried out by The Press and the results of which are confirmed by several stakeholders in the field, a large majority of pharmacies do not agree to reuse medication vials. The practice, which had gained many followers before the pandemic, was hampered by the strict hygiene rules that had to be put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. Since then, many pharmacies which agreed to take back the vials informally have abandoned the idea.
But the issues go well beyond simple questions of hygiene. For safety reasons – the child-proof vials are approved for a certain number of openings and closings – and logistical reasons – several pharmacies ask their customers to contact them in advance to have their products prepared. medicines – are notably mentioned, as is the presence of robots in laboratories!
Complex logistics
In its standards of practice, the Order of Pharmacists of Quebec indicates that a pharmacist must ensure the quality and safety of the care provided to their patients. He also recommends that the label be placed on the bottle rather than inside it to ensure permanent identification of its contents, while being more hygienic. However, this can complicate the logistics when reusing the vials.
“According to this standard of practice, it may be that some pharmacies are unable to guarantee the cleanliness of the bottles and cannot offer this service,” explains Marilie Beaulieu-Gravel, spokesperson for the Quebec Association of Proprietary Pharmacists.
If some are able to do this, it is because they have adopted policies and procedures allowing them to guarantee the security of the service. This is particularly the case for Jean-Maurice Weibel’s two pharmacies, located in Montreal and affiliated with Familiprix. After following the support program developed by Maillon vert to help pharmacies reduce their carbon footprint, Jean-Maurice Weibel introduced several eco-responsible practices in his two Montreal branches, notably the reduction of energy consumption, the introduction of bulk for household products and reuse of vials. To meet safety criteria, the count of the number of fillings was indicated under the jar by a technician until the establishment chose bottles approved for a significantly greater number of uses.
When this measure was implemented in 2018, Jean-Maurice Weibel estimated the number of bottles sold annually in his pharmacies at 55,000.
We put a lot of emphasis on this and our customers participated in large numbers. Every day, people brought us their empty vials, then during the pandemic, we had to stop taking them back. It’s a shame.
Jean-Maurice Weibel, pharmacist
About a year ago, at the request of patients, he reintroduced the measure. But newcomers had changed the situation. Like several pharmacists, Mr. Weibel has equipped himself with robots to speed up the preparation of medications. “In one of the branches, it’s a lot more difficult now to be able to retrieve the vials, because of the robot that labels them,” he explains. He therefore asks customers who want their bottles to be reused to come back and pick them up the next day.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Robotic arm that fills vials, in Mr. Weibel’s pharmacy
Please note that pharmacies can only take back vials for the same customer and only for medications that are not considered cytotoxic (drugs often used to destroy cancer cells), which would represent a risk for staff.
In short, to implement such a protocol, “there are really additional efforts to integrate,” observes pharmacist Marc-André Mailhot, founder of Maillon vert, who has supported more than 120 pharmacies in the adoption of eco-responsible practices. “It’s not as simple as reusing a bag at the grocery store. »
Our message to patients is: ask for it, he says. Raise awareness among pharmacists.
Marc-André Mailhot, pharmacist and founder of Maillon vert
Although several million vials of medicine, most of them recyclable, are used each year in Quebec, Marc-André Mailhot puts into perspective the quantity of plastic they represent compared to other products. Reducing its use is nevertheless one of the twenty actions proposed by Maillon vert to pharmacies wishing to take the path of eco-responsibility.
The green vials
After also being slowed down by the pandemic, the Fiole verte movement launched in 2019 by pharmacist Sarah Fizazi continues its deployment. To date, around thirty pharmacies in Quebec offer their customers the option of obtaining glass vials which can be reused after having been rigorously cleaned.
Possible solutions
Number of the week
23,000 kg
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES
Batteries cannot be put in the trash or recycled. They must be dropped off at a collection point.
This is the weight of batteries recovered in 195 Quebec schools from August 16, 2023 to April 12, 2024, the equivalent of two school buses. This collection took place as part of a competition organized by ENvironnement JEUnesse and Appel à Recycler. Remember that batteries cannot be put in the trash or recycled. They must be dropped off at a collection point.
Find a collection point near you
Green light
The Palme d’Or for eco-friendly filming
PHOTO LOÏC VENANCE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
French directors Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, at the Cannes Film Festival
During the Cannes Film Festival, the Ecoprod organization rewarded films produced in the most eco-responsible way possible. The Ecoprod prize was awarded ex aequo to Jim’s novel, directed by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, and Maria by Jessica Palud. Niki by Céline Sallette received the Special Jury Prize. According to Ecoprod, the average carbon footprint of a feature film is 188.7 tonnes eq. CO2the equivalent of around a hundred round trips by plane between Paris and New York.
Consult the Ecoprod winners page
Food for thought
PHOTO RYAN LASH, PROVIDED BY TED
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson in 2019
“I see what’s coming. But I also see the whole range of possible futures. I feel like there are so many things we could create, and the question that motivates me right now is: what if we succeed? » In an interview given to New York Times, marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson sides with hope and cautious optimism. To read or listen (in English), on the NYT website.
Read or listen to the interview with marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (subscription required)