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Going Green:
The latest sustainability trends in medical packaging
There is an estimated one million tons of clean,
non-infectious healthcare plastic generated in healthcare
facilities each year, accordingly to The Healthcare
Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC). Finding a way to
minimise the waste stream that ends up in landfills -- and
the resulting impact it can have on the environment -- is
challenging but important. One area where there is an
opportunity to reduce waste through increased design
innovation and process and material optimisation is in
healthcare packaging.
Working with healthcare-focused packaging designers and
engineers provides medical device companies with the
ability to proactively innovate products even at the
earliest stages of development. As a result, OEMs can have
more efficient and environmentally responsible device
packaging that reduces material waste during development
and production; lowers packaging ownership costs; provides
for optimum volume and efficient logistics in the supply
chain; and allows for products that can be used and
recycled more effectively in hospital environments.
https://www.med-technews.com/medtech-insights/going-green-the-latest-sustainability-trends-in-medical-pack/
(22 FEBRUARY 2019)
Usability,
Sustainability Becoming More Relevant in Medtech Packaging
Usability is no longer limited strictly to user
experience.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected
to issue a final federal rule this year limiting EO
emissions from commercial medtech sterilization plants.
Considered a carcinogen, EO has been used for decades to
clean medical equipment—from plastic tubing and surgical
instruments to hospital gowns and artificial joints.
Industry experts estimate the chemical is used to
sterilize roughly half of all medical equipment, as it can
efficiently kill germs without harming materials.
Usability has come more to the forefront due to EU MDR
changes, signifying the importance of packaging for
successful patient outcomes. Usability often connotates
user experience, but it is definitely not limited to only
user experience. For the requirement in ISO 11607-1:2019,
it is much more expansive. For instance, being able to
demonstrate that a package has a clearly identifiable
opening mechanism, is important. Another example is the
requirement of being able to aseptically present the
device once the package is opened—surely, how the user
experiences this happening is one thing, but their ability
to actually execute aseptic presentation may be something
different altogether.
Sustainability—this can take on several meanings. On one
hand, it means designing a packaging product that reduces
or eliminates the risk of failure of medical devices at
the point of use, which can have high penalties for
high-risk procedures. Hence, packaging that can maintain a
sterile barrier from manufacturing, transportation all the
way through to point of use can significantly impact
sustainability by reducing wastage. On the other hand,
sustainability means ensuring the waste is utilized
towards creating circularity in the system, reducing
environmental footprint. A vast majority of non-hazardous
plastic healthcare packaging waste currently ends up in
municipal solid waste, because of the complexity in
composition which makes recycling challenging and it’s
important for the entire value chain to come together to
address this issue.
https://www.odtmag.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2021-04-07/usability-sustainability-becoming-more-relevant-in-medtech-packaging/
(04.07.21)
Thermoform
Packaging Powered by Digital Watermarks
Covert markings for medical packaging enable vital
benefits from factory floor through end-of-life recycling
including consumer engagement, sustainability, and
traceability.
Tomas Filler, senior manager, R&D at Digimarc, explains
how the tech works.
“The TEQ Code is based on Digimarc Watermark technology,
which has been used in the print environment for more than
20 years. The Digimarc Watermark is a slight texture that
can be printed, engraved into a mold, or made directly
onto the plastic that carries digital identifiers, such as
the UPC-A code, or Digimarc ID. Digital watermarks are
designed to be imperceptible for regular consumers or can
be built-in existing textures used in customer artwork
today. Machines equipped with camera and processing
algorithms such as phones, barcode scanners, or other
machine-vision cameras can then detect the presence of
such watermark and connect the physical object with its
digital twin in Digimarc Product Cloud.”
Meanwhile, TEQ found a technique that worked — laser
engraving of the thermoform mold.
Options for customers start at the very beginning and
extend to the type of plastic chosen for the thermoform.
TEQ’s product portfolio numbers more than 25 different
materials including polypropylene and polyethylene as well
as the latest biodegradable and recycled plastics.
However, most medical product customers choose PETG,
McDonald says.
Finally, at the thermoform’s end-of-life, a Holy Grail 2.0
watermark could enable the integration into automated
sortation and recycling of the packaging for either
standard mechanical recycling or an advanced recycling
method such as depolymerization.
https://www.packagingdigest.com/medical-packaging/thermoform-packaging-powered-digital-watermarks
(Aug 01, 2022)
How Do
Recycled Materials Fit with Healthcare Packaging?
Quick hits:
• The EU packaging and packaging waste
directive (PPWD) allows regulators to make implementing
decisions
• Rules that will apply to other types of packaging won’t
necessarily apply to medical and pharmaceutical packaging.
• Medical packages can become a good source for recycled
material due to the high-quality polymers they are
comprised of.
• Advanced recycling and internal pre-consumer recycling
each have roles to supply in healthcare sustainability.
https://www.healthcarepackaging.com/TakeFive/video/21964895/life-science-packaging-not-ready-for-recycled-content-yet
(Dec 24, 2021) |
