MATERIALS | MEDICAL
stream. To create the film, PCR undergoes depoly- merisation via chemical
recycling, which reduces it to monomers. Repolymerisa- tion into PET produces a resin that is essentially virgin material, it says. The end product from Alpek’s
polymer reactor is a sheet in master reel made
Above: Suedpack Medica
showcased its PharmaGuard blister packaging concept at Pharmapack
according to the melt-to-sheet process. The new blister film meets all pharmaceutical requirements for PET as outlined in the European Pharmacopoe- ia Section 3.1.15, and United States Pharmacopoe- ia Section 661.1. “This is the first time pharmaceutical companies have the option to incorporate a fully recyclable blister pack that also contains a significant portion of recycled material,” said Melissa Green, head of global marketing for TekniPlex Healthcare. “We anticipate high demand for this new film.”
Antimicrobial additives Avient has expanded its Cesa Withstand portfolio of antimicrobial additives with a grade for thermo- plastic polyurethane (TPU) film in medical and outdoor applications The grades are developed to enhance the performance of TPU film-laminated products and devices in applications where combating microbe development is important. Cesa Withstand additives include organic and
inorganic ingredients to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mould, and fungi on plastic surfaces. This has been backed up by extensive testing. The two new available grades of Cesa Withstand
for TPU film can meet the specific anti-bacterial and anti-mould protection needs of products including medical beds. They are currently manu- factured in Asia and are commercially available globally.
Anti-stat formulation Masterbatch specialist Ampacet has introduced a new anti-static formulation for polyolefin films used in pharmaceutical processes. The company says that ProVital + Permstat is used in the external layers of packaging films to create a dissipative polymeric network within the bulk layer of the film – allowing electrostatic charges on the film surface to dissipate throughout the external layer. The antistatic effect is immediate, consistent during the lifetime of the film and lasts as long as the film is in use, it says. Thanks to the dissipative effect, powder can be emptied from packaging more effectively, as the
30 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | January/February 2024
IV recycling Baxter International has finished the first phase of a pilot recycling programme to recycle intravenous (IV) bags.
Launched with Northwestern Medicine, more than six tonnes (around 12,000 lbs) of PVC IV bag waste has been diverted away from landfill and recycled. It is the first programme of its kind to launch in the US, said the company. “Across the country, hundreds of thousands of IV
bags are used every day,” said Cecilia Soriano, president of Baxter’s infusion therapies and technologies division. “In line with our commit- ments as a responsible corporate citizen, we believe this pilot helps pave the way for meaning- ful, long-term waste reduction.” Unlike products such as syringes and needles, which have post-use collection methods, standard non-hazardous IV bags are typically sent to landfill. Under the pilot programme, collected IV bags are recycled into products such as industrial floor mats and protective edging for docks and landscaping. Jeff Good, Northwestern Medicine’s first chief sustainability executive and vice president of operations, added: “What started as a single-unit pilot is now standard practice across several of our inpatient units. It has resulted in the recycling of more than 170,000 IV bags.” Baxter has previously worked with hospitals and waste collection companies outside the US – in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Guatemala and Colombia – on programmes to recycle end-of-life materials.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.tekni-plex.com �
www.pacur.com �
www.eastman.com �
www.roehm.com �
www.coveris.com �
www.flexcon.com �
www.solvay.com �
www.suedpack-medica.com �
www.avient.com �
www.ampacet.com �
www.baxter.com
www.filmandsheet.com
anti-stat prevents some particles from remaining inside due to the static effect. In sealed bags, it can eliminate the presence of static powder in the sealing area. The masterbatch can be incorporated into polyethylene cleanroom films, which are used to store and transfer pharmaceutical raw materials or active pharmaceutical ingredients used in drug production.
IMAGE: SUEDPACK
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