Company insight
Sustainable medical packaging through circular solutions
Advancing regulations are pressurising medical manufacturers to balance compliance with sustainability and performance, all without compromising patient safety and operating costs. We speak to Jürgen Wirtz, head of development and applications engineering and regulatory affairs at VP Medical Packaging, to understand how their flexibility helps to strike this balance.
mid growing climate concerns, every industry globally faces stricter regulations aimed at meeting sustainability standards while ensuring compliance. The medical packaging industry is not exempt from these challenges, especially amid cost constraints and evolving customer demands. Manufacturers must navigate a landscape of potentially conflicting requirements without compromising one critical priority: patient safety. “While sustainability has become increasingly important, patient safety has always been our primary concern in medical packaging,” says Jürgen Wirtz, head of development and applications engineering and regulatory affairs at VP Medical Packaging. “Our industry must ensure patient safety is not compromised while striving for sustainability goals. Manufacturers also need to understand the broader implications of adopting more sustainable solutions for society.” Evolving regulations, such as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), mandate that the industry minimise resource use or substitute materials that do not meet sustainability requirements. This has intensified pressure on manufacturers to consider the design and disposal of materials and waste carefully. The challenges related to waste in the manufacturing of medical devices and packaging are escalating as their usage becomes more widespread. Manufacturers are, therefore, compelled to find more effective methods for disposing of medical devices and packaging waste. Sterile medical packaging relies on high- quality materials known for their versatility, durability and biocompatibility across various applications. The Medical Devices Regulation
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(MDR) – which replaced its less stringent predecessor in 2021 – and its UK equivalent, are increasing the demands.
“Participants throughout the marketplace are challenged and are working diligently to meet all the requirements of the updated medical device regulations,” Wirtz explains. “Integrating these two priorities – sustainability and compliance – is a challenge, as there may be conflicting demands from both sides.”
Innovation to achieve sustainability goals
The focus on safety complicates the immediate introduction of more sustainable sterile medical packaging. Under the new PPWR in the EU and similar regulations in the UK, most packaging will need to conform to ‘Design for Recycling’ standards and incorporate a minimum amount of recycled content. These environmental regulations aim to reduce packaging waste and promote the transition toward a more sustainable and circular economy. “To enhance circularity, everyone in the medical device manufacturing chain must identify cases for circular practices and then work collaboratively to close the loop,” Wirtz states. “A collective approach to tackling recycling challenges will enhance circularity, but it requires cooperation from all participants in the chain.” As solutions for sustainable
materials and recycling advance, stricter sustainability and performance regulations will continue to emerge, leading to priority shifts. Solutions will thus need to evolve, emphasising the importance of innovation in sustainable packaging in the coming years.
“But if there’s a risk of biological contamination at the point of use, the responsible parties may choose to remove materials from the process and dispose of them through safe waste streams, such as incineration,” Wirtz explains. “By doing this, they are just adhering to safety regulations.”
Flexibility for resourcefulness Although recyclable solutions for sterile medical packaging already exist, Wirtz says adopting a circular approach is essential for enhancing sustainability. As experts in sterile medical packaging, VP Medical Packaging contributes to this effort with its unique, flexible strategy.
“VP offers flexibility in three key dimensions. First, we specialise in converting flexible materials, so most of our packaging materials are flexible. Secondly, we can combine various materials as needed, ensuring we are not confined to specific materials or limited supply chains. We can create the most appropriate combinations for each solution. “Third, we are responsive to customer requirements, whether technical or regulatory,” he adds. “We do not limit ourselves to existing solutions but rather collaborate to develop new innovative options and combinations for the market. This adaptability is what sets us apart.” VP Medical focuses on finding flexible solutions for sterile medical packaging rather than adhering to outdated concepts or mass production. It strives to create a circular economy and foster innovation that transforms customer needs into effective solutions in an ever-changing landscape. ●
www.vp-group.de Medical Device Developments /
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
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