[Environmental impact of inhalers in the Netherlands and worldwide: the facts at a glance]. / Milieu-impact van inhalatoren in Nederland en wereldwijd.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) released from the use of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) contribute significantly to climate change. Counterintuitively, these HFCs indirectly cause health damage to asthma and COPD patients, as climate change creates more summer smog and pollen in the air. European regulation is urgently needed to ensure that only MDIs with HFCs with a lower global warming potential will be produced in future. Meanwhile, prescribing less MDIs can have a substantial impact on the reduction of greenhouse gases. If a healthcare professional chooses a greener alternative as a maintenance dose of inhalation medication together with twenty patients this saves 1.8 tons of CO2-eq emissions per year. This is as much CO2-eq per year as one person would save per year by replacing his or her petrol car for an electric car.