Packaging, supply & logistics
“There is a growing emphasis on educating healthcare professionals and consumers about proper disposal methods and the importance of recycling to address the specific challenges posed by medical waste,” says Jahnz, adding: “However, the medical packaging sector remains cautious about sustainability aspects as regards packaging, due to the critical importance of ensuring the integrity and safety of medical products.” Ultimately, this comes down to employing rigorous testing, selecting eco-friendly materials and adhering to EU regulatory requirements. Hence, manufacturers can, in theory, ensure packaging remains robust and protective, while also reducing their ecological footprints. This approach ensures safety for consumers, maintains product efficacy and contributes to sustainable practices in healthcare, according to Jahnz.
PPWD looms large
Looming large in this particular space is the European Commission’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). Against the backdrop of packaging waste inside the EU rising by an estimated 20% between 2009 and 2020, the PPWD lays down measures to prevent the production of such waste, and to “promote reuse of packaging and recycling and other forms of recovering packaging waste”. It also sets out the requirements that all packaging placed in the EU market must meet, which are designed to reduce the disposal of packaging waste and to promote a more circular economy. However, a proposal outlined by the European Commission in November 2022 potentially puts the cat among the proverbial pigeons. As Jahnz describes it: “The commission’s proposal for the PPWD took into account the specific needs of medical packaging by exempting packaging for medicinal products from the recyclability requirements and recycled content obligations. “However, no exemptions from the recycling targets for various packaging materials are provided for in the current and proposed rules. The European Parliament and the Council are currently negotiating the final version of this regulation.”
The sustainable packaging challenge For the medical industry this presents obvious challenges in terms of creating sustainable medical packaging that ensures compatibility with stringent safety and regulatory requirements. Moreover, as Jahnz notes, it means “maintaining product integrity throughout the product life cycle, sourcing eco-friendly materials without compromising performance, managing the complexity of multi- material packaging (which has an impact on efficient
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
Specific targets for recycling as required by the PPWD* Current targets (%) By 2025 (%) By 2030 (%)
All packaging Plastic Wood
Ferrous metals Aluminium Glass
Paper and cardboard Source: European Commission
55 25 15
50 (incl. Al) -
60 60
recycling), and addressing logistical and cost considerations associated with sustainable practices”. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has similarly pointed out that while recycling medicine packaging is essential, there are challenges to consider, including prioritising patient safety above all, while also adhering to regulations set by health authorities such as the MHRA, FDA and EMA, as well as international standards-setting bodies. Moreover, additional factors include the cost of collecting and sorting used packaging for recycling; the cost of the recycling process; assessing the technological capability to efficiently recycle these materials; and evaluating whether the energy used in recycling outweighs the environmental benefits. A practical example of an initiative in action can be seen in an ABPI case study focusing on inhaler recycling. It also shows what can be done. Take Air (Action for Inhaler Recycling) was a scheme allowing people to dispose of and recycle empty, unwanted, or out-of-date, inhalers through the post. The first and only such scheme, it started in February 2021 and was supported by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and Leicestershire and Rutland Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), and funded by Chiesi, the UK arm of Italy-based global pharma firm Chiesi Group. After researching recycling schemes in pharmaceuticals and other industries, it was decided to test the feasibility of a postal model, with pharmacies providing pre-paid, pre-addressed envelopes to patients. Patients then filled each envelope with up to four unwanted inhalers and posted them via Royal Mail post boxes directly to a specialist recycling facility.
As the case study notes, all inhaler types could be returned including the predominant pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). These were dismantled, with aluminium canisters crushed and suitable plastic pelletised, ahead of
121
65 50 25 70 50 70 75
70 55 30 80 60 75 85
* Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
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