A Rotary-driven project to recycle medical blister packs was launched across ten pharmacies in the Geelong region on 14 July.
The project is the brainchild of Highton Rotarian, pharmacist and passionate environmentalist, Barb Sheahan. In the early stages of the plan, Barb sought the help of Geelong East Rotary who jumped at the chance of seeing the project brought to fruition. We submitted a grant to the City of Greater Geelong and received $10,000 that will fund the initiative.
The project is a partnership with Australian recycling company, Pharmacycle, and local pharmacies from Ocean Grove, to Portarlington to Lara and in between (listed below). Each pharmacy has been provided with six collection bins to provide easy access for the public to deposit their used medical blister packs.
The packs no longer need to go to landfill, and instead can be turned into useful products. Recovered aluminium is remanufactured into thermal blocks that store renewable energy; and recovered plastic material is used to make a range of building and construction products.
Data collected from the Geelong project will be carefully analyzed and it is hoped the initiative will be introduced across Australia. Interest has already been shown by Rotary clubs in our District 9780. Who knows where it may lead?
A new series of War on Waste due to be shown on ABC TV from 25 July will feature our partner organisation, Pharmacycle, and its role in recycling medical blister packs.
Participating Greater Geelong pharmacies
- Peak Pharmacy Corio Village, Corio Village Shopping Centre, Corio
- Mitchell and O’Hara Amcal Pharmacy, 154-156 Shannon Ave, Geelong West.
- Geelong Soul Pattinson Pharmacy, 133 Yarra St, Geelong
- Priceline Pharmacy East Geelong, 1 Ormond Rd, East Geelong
- Bellarine Village Community Care Chemist, Shop 5,25-29 Bellarine Hwy, Bellarine Village Shopping Centre, Newcomb
- Portarlington Pharmacy, 90 Newcombe St, Portarlington
- Ocean Grove Terrace Pharmacy, 76A The Terrace, Ocean Grove
- Pardey’s Eastbrooke Pharmacy, 75-77 Roslyn Rd, Belmont
- Kardinia Pharmacy, 2-18 Colac Rd, Belmont
- Direct Chemist Outlet Highton, Hills Plaza, 46 Province Boulevard, Highton.
Representatives of City of Greater Geelong, Phamacycle & Rotary
Rotary Geelong East - Working with others to Change the World