Study estimates emissions in US from inhalers same as those from five lakh cars each year

New Delhi: A new study has revealed that inhalers used to treat asthma and COPD may have emitted over 20 lakh metric tonnes of emissions in the US -- equivalent to the yearly emissions of about 5,30,000 petrol-powered cars on the road.

The research team, including scientists from the University of California Los Angeles, found that metered-dose inhalers -- those containing hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellants and releasing aerosols -- were the most harmful to the environment, responsible for a staggering 98 percent of emissions over the 10-year period.

Other types of inhalers, including dry inhalers and soft powder mist inhalers, are less harmful to the environment as they deliver medication to the lungs without requiring propellants, they informed.

"Inhalers approved for asthma and chro