In August 2023, when the ACE Waste group first started collecting blister packs, it took eight weeks to fill one box.
One year later, we collected enough blister packs in just ONE month to fill TWO boxes.
Aylsham residents have really rallied to the cause and, every month, regularly take their medicine tablet blister packs to the Quaker refill stall in the Market Place to be mangled ready for recycling.
The packs are mangled because we pay by volume not weight for the packs to be processed. By reducing each pack’s volume, we can get more in the box and save about 25 per cent of the cost.

To be turned into picnic benches or aluminium nuggets.
But why are we paying to dispose of waste created by the pharmaceutical industry?
Although we have been financially supported by a grant from the Veolia Sustainability Fund, as well as contributions from Aylsham Town Council, The Quakers, and donations from the public, we have to pay to send Aylsham blister packs to ReFactory to be turned into picnic benches or aluminium nuggets.
But how sustainable is this?
A petition has been drawn up calling for the cost of recycling to be borne by those who produce these packs – the global pharmaceutical companies.
The petition is available in paper format, at the Quaker stall in Aylsham Market Place or the online version can be accessed here.
Once we have collected enough signatures, we will ask the local MP to raise this with the relevant government departments.
We would also like to see if there are opportunities to discuss this with district and county councils to see if there is a more systematic way of collecting and recycling these locally.
Local Aylsham residents clearly agree since we have already collected 150 signatures for our petition.
If you wish to donate, please visit the Earthglade stall in Aylsham Market Place on Mondays and Fridays, or at the monthly Saturday stall and on Just Giving.