Earlier this year, Cheryl McCormack began a campaign locally to gather empty blister packs from tablets and transport them to a collection point organised by TerraCycle.
But the nationwide programme was ‘too successful’ and has been paused – claims Cheryl – leaving her now swamped with bags full of discarded pill packets.
Her Lockerbie home is currently bursting at the seams as she waits for somewhere to take the blister packs.
Cheryl said: “When I first heard about it, I knew straightaway I wanted to help.
“Unfortunately the Dumfries Superdrug store wasn’t doing it but I heard Carlisle was. So, I thought I could collect them in Dumfries and Galloway and I arranged 50 collection points.
“But then TerraCycle pulled the plug because it had been too successful.”
Cheryl has since emailed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for their help to get a permanent recycling system in place.
She added: “One I start, I dig my heels in, I don’t give up.
“And there are a lot of people on board, I can’t believe how many people have supported this.”
Responding, a spokesman for TerraCycle explained the Medicine Packet Recycling Programme was launched for any private household, from any manufacturer.
He said: “Medicine blister packets are a mix of difficult-to-recycle materials, which are currently not yet recycled by council systems.
“The programme has seen an encouragingly high uptake, however the resources set up at the beginning of this project can no longer accommodate the large quantities of blister packets we are receiving, especially from pharmacy dispensaries.
“Therefore we need to review and redesign the programme’s infrastructure and funding to ensure it is suited for the recycling of the large volumes we see coming in across the country.”
However, he says the option of dropping off used packaging at Superdrug stores remains and the nearest place for Cheryl is still Carlisle.
It is also hoped the system can be extended to further Superdrug stores.
