MEDICAL | MATERIALS
automotive, sports and leisure equipment. Last year, Solvay partnered with Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (MCAM) to investi- gate the implementation of logistics for the recovery, recycling, and reprocessing of medical equipment made from its Udel polysulfone (PSU) thermoplastics, with the aim of reusing the recycled material in the original application. The sustainability initiative created by the partnership seeks to develop a robust recycling strategy that provides customers with materials that fully meet all specifications while yielding savings in CO2
emissions along the produc-
tion and supply chain. The project leans on MCAM’s mechanical recycling expertise to wash and mechan- ically purify the material while Solvay will evaluate the chemistry of the polymer at its end-of-life. BASF has developed medical material solutions for plasticisers being put to pasture by regulatory edict, as well as polymers that address recyclability concerns in the industry. The European Commission has a sunset date for DEHP plasticiser in PVC disposable medical devices in 2025 due to toxico- logical concerns, with the latest application date for use of that material expiring in November 2023. BASF’s Hexamoll DINCH is a cyclohexanoate and not a phthalate plasticiser like DEHP. It is already used in various medical device applications worldwide. BASF now also offers Hexamoll DINCH as a biomass balance product it calls Hexamoll DINCH BMB.
Customers using drug delivery devices are increasingly asking for reduced CO2
footprint and
reduction of fossil resources. BASF’s biomass balance approach enables saving of fossil resourc- es, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and drives the use of sustainable renewable feedstock. BASF’s Ultraform PRO (POM) and Ultradur PRO (PBT) were specifically developed to meet the high standards and requirements for medical applications. The suffix PRO (Profile covered Raw materials Only) points to the fact that only strictly controlled raw materials are being used within the enhanced production process, in combination with extensive testing procedures. Furthermore, the service package around the PRO grades assures reliable change control and accordance to regulatory
Right: Single piece turn valve developed by Danish moulder Carmo
Left: BASF is targeting
sustainability issues in medical plastics
pharmaceutical and medical specific expectations and regulation. The PRO package fulfills all essential steps for untroubled production of safe medical devices, says Julia Endres, Communica- tions Performance Materials, Industrial at BASF. Recycling and recyclability of plastic packaging
material for medical applications will also need to increase recycled content. However, one of the core challenges is finding clean feedstock ready- for-use in medical packaging material. A closed- loop system would be the solution, but the infrastructure is only partially in place, according to Endres.
BASF is working with industry players to review
their recycling concepts and when it comes to less sensitive applications in medical, such as waste bins and containers, to incorporate more recycled material with the help of BASF’s IrgaCycle additive packages for mechanical recycling, which help to mitigate impurities and rejuvenate the stabilisation system. In addition, BASF says it has proven that the content of recycled polymer can be significant- ly increased in a rigid application with the use of the additive solution.
Single piece valve Danish plastics parts manufacturer Carmo has developed a single piece turn valve made from a medically certified plastics for urine collection bags and other medical bags. Conventional valves for urine collection bags are typically produced from several parts that must be assembled and then held together with silicone or PVC to ensure density. The company says its expertise is in 3D printing and advanced injection moulding. The patented one-piece valve design avoids the intermediate assembly processes and has no joints, which minimises the chance for leakage. Furthermore, it does not require
www.injectionworld.com January/February 2023 | INJECTION WORLD 37
IMAGE: BASF
IMAGE: CARMO
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