Page 30 - Plastics News Issue - January 2025
P. 30
FEATURE NEWS
unique properties such as versatility, durability, of the health product. For packaging, this pro-
transparency – as well as having the ability to cess could last between approximately 5 years
be sterilised. Whether in the form of vials for for secondary packaging to 10 years for primary
vaccines, blister packs for pills, or infusion bags, packaging.
plastics offer versatility and reliability that is not
easily replicable with other materials. How do international regulatory frameworks
impact the ability to innovate in packaging
Are there any ongoing efforts to redesign materials?
pharmaceutical packaging to minimise plastic
use while maintaining regulatory compliance? The packaging for medical products is rightly
subject to stringent legal and regulatory require-
Many companies are committed to and are al- ments. This means that there are strict crite-
ready working to reduce or eliminate the amount ria for design, safety, quality, and performance
of plastic waste as well as supporting more sus- that must be met. It is important that regulatory
tainable alternatives. Examples include: frameworks remain stringent in this regard, while
allowing for companies to look for alternative
AstraZeneca's shift from single use boxes to re- packaging approaches. When considering that
usable thermal packaging for products used for different countries have different regulatory
clinical trials achieving 98% return rate and re- frameworks, this can be complex.
duced packaging waste equivalent to the weight
of a 747 jumbo jet How would harmonised extended compliance
periods support pharmaceutical companies in
Sanofi's plastic-free cardboard packaging for transitioning to sustainable alternatives?
one of its vaccines halves the size of the box,
which optimises its storage and reduces its envi- Extended compliance periods provide the nec-
ronmental footprint essary flexibility for companies to ensure con-
tinuation of production and availability of high
Boehringer Ingelheim's reusable inhaler is ex- quality and safe medical and medicinal products
pected to prevent 776 tons of plastic waste and for patients worldwide, while collaboratively ex-
14,300 tons of CO2 emissions. ploring safe alternative solutions and navigating
the regulatory landscape.
What specific challenges make testing and
validation of new materials so time-intensive Are there any promising bio-based or recyclable
for pharmaceutical applications? materials being tested for pharmaceutical appli-
cations?
Any modification of the composition of our
products and packaging requires a revision of Currently, there are limited feasible options for
the registration file used for regulatory approv- using mechanically recycled content for any
al of the product. This must also be accompa- pharmaceutical primary packaging, contact sen-
nied by additional studies – including things like sitive packaging, or contact sensitive parts of
toxicological analyses and guarantee of sterili- devices. IFPMA members are exploring any po-
sation conditions – to prove that the new ele- tential bio-based or recyclable materials but are
ments do not interfere with the integrity/quality limited by technology and market development
30 PLASTICS NEWS January 2025
