In the intricate web of modern healthcare, pharmaceutical packaging often remains unsung, yet it plays a critical role in preserving the integrity of essential medicines. The industry has long turned to plastic for this purpose, drawn by its reliable qualities—sterility, durability and chemical inertness.

However, the world is undergoing a shift in how it views plastic. With growing concerns over plastic waste, stricter environmental regulations, and evolving public attitudes, the pharmaceutical sector is facing increasing pressure to find sustainable packaging solutions that align with its commitment to patient health.

One such solution gaining traction is the use of Post-Consumer and Pre-Consumer Regrind (PCR). PCR gives discarded plastics a new purpose by repurposing recycled plastics from various sources, including end-users and production waste, to create innovative packaging. As environmental awareness takes precedence, PCR offers a practical way to reduce the environmental footprint of pharmaceutical packaging without compromising the core objective of ensuring patient safety.

In this article, I delve into the practical aspects of PCR materials in pharmaceutical packaging, exploring their benefits and challenges, as well as why a demand-driven, responsible, and pragmatic approach is essential in the pursuit of sustainability. This journey is about finding pragmatic ways to address the environmental impact of pharmaceutical packaging, making it less wasteful without sacrificing the industry’s primary commitment to patient well-being.

What are PCR materials and how can they benefit the environment?

Pre-consumer regrind or post-industrial recycled (PIR) material is manufacturer waste, such as off-cuts, trimmings, and rejects, which is repurposed to create recycled packaging or products.
Post-consumer regrind is consumer waste diverted from landfills and used in the production of plastic packaging or products.

The PCR market is being driven by growing consumer awareness about environmental issues and the increasing rise in petroleum prices. This is driving a surge in demand for PCR globally, with many businesses eager to embrace this innovation.

The benefits of PCR make it even more attractive, despite its sustainability benefits like reducing waste, lowering the carbon footprint of manufacturing, and promoting a circular economy. For example, PCR reduces manufacturer costs as fewer, more expensive, virgin materials are needed in production.

There are financial benefits that come with investment into sustainable packaging because businesses are likely to enjoy a higher ROI due to rising demand and lower costs of manufacturing.
Furthermore, manufacturing cost-cutting will trickle down and benefit healthcare services. For example, according to research conducted by The London School of Economics, the costs of expensive new drugs threaten the financial sustainability of the NHS with spending on branded medicines increasing by over five percent annually.

This, in conjunction with earning favor with environmentally concerned customers, will benefit a business’ brand, earning them a reputation for commitment to building long-term sustainability and prioritizing customers’ needs.

However, necessary and stringent regulations within pharma mean virgin plastic cannot be ruled out, owing to the need to safeguard patient safety and medicine integrity. But PCR provides a way for the pharmaceutical industry to reduce and address its contribution to the plastics crisis the world finds itself in.

As the adoption of PCR gains momentum, it is essential to acknowledge that sustainable practices go beyond raw materials alone. Holistic sustainability strategies encompass innovative design, responsible consumption, and recycling programs.

In the same breath, consumers and other stakeholders must understand that PCR is not a silver bullet for solving plastic pollution. Complexities unique to the pharmaceutical industry limit its scope.

Considerations, limitations, and a responsible approach

Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical industry is among the top global contributors to pollution and finds itself tiptoeing a delicate balance between striving to meet both stringent health and safety requirements set by regulatory bodies and the expectations of environmentally concerned modern consumers.

While other industries enjoy the freedom of prioritizing design, aesthetics and sustainability in their packaging, the pharmaceutical industry must maintain health and safety standards as the utmost priority.

This presents an ever-present challenge for the pharmaceutical packaging industry. PCR-derived packaging has many limitations including compromised quality, process inconsistencies, application limitations and contamination, all inhibiting its viability as a universally suitable packaging solution.

When applied to pharmaceuticals, this potential lack of “purity” in PCR means the background of the material is undetermined or traceable. This uncertainty limits use cases for the product, making it unsuitable for various pharmaceutical products such as those that are injected into the bloodstream.

Although PCR materials are a trending solution to the plastics crisis, evidenced by the growing demand for them across packaging industries, supply shortages are a thorn in the side of manufacturers.
The cause of this shortage might be attributed to the fact that many people are ignorant of how to properly recycle plastics in the first instance, including pharmaceutical packaging. Every week, 1.85 billion pieces of plastic packaging are thrown away, not recycled, in the UK.

Not only does this lack of public awareness further contribute to the mounting global plastic crisis, but also creates a supply shortage for manufacturers of PCR. Addressing these knowledge gaps through comprehensive public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives is therefore paramount to bridging the gap between demand and supply for PCR.

Furthermore, contamination of recyclable plastics renders the waste useless as it cannot be used to create PCR. Contaminants come in the form of food scraps and oils which have not been adequately removed before consumers recycle them. In a modern time-starved society plagued by a culture of convenience and instant satisfaction, taking the time to wash out packaging waste before recycling is not a priority.

As with any seemingly ideal solution to a problem, due diligence and pragmatism must not be lost. The PCR supply shortage means that businesses too focused on riding the popular recycled materials trend do so while running the risk of adversely affecting the environment, which is counterproductive.

The use of PCR must be responsibly governed with sustainability in mind. Firstly, consideration of the waste hierarchy is essential and calls for the prioritization of prevention of waste rather than having to deal with waste. The truth is that sustainability cannot be imposed on existing designs but rather, designs need to be reimagined at the earliest stages of inception incorporating reuse and recycle methods such as PCR.

To achieve this, recycled materials need to be “designed in” at a percentage equivalent to current market availability and capability. This mitigates any risks of responding to increasing demand for recycled plastic only to inadvertently result in more virgin plastic being created to fill shortfalls.

There is a compromise to be had. Packaging that is partly recycled, such as medicine bottles made of 30 percent recycled plastic, still positively contributes to the battle against plastic pollution and has its virtues over 100 percent recycled packaging products in some instances.

The responsible approach to sustainability in packaging is to consider the entire life cycle of the production of all materials to be sure that an “apples-to-apples” comparison is held, henceforth deciding how sustainability can be upheld on a project-by-project basis.

Adopting a holistic approach to create a more sustainable packaging future

The use of PCR in pharmaceutical packaging offers stakeholders an opportunity to achieve their sustainability goals.

Taking a holistic approach to sustainability starts with materials being selected based on how much of an impact they have on the environment and how easily they can be reused or recycled into new products with as little waste as possible. This must be factored in from the very beginning.

The pharmaceutical industry has a role to play in addressing the shortage of PCR and supporting a pipeline for future use and production of PCR-derived packaging. Pharmaceutical packaging is recyclable in many instances, but communication on where and how to recycle medicine packaging remains limited.

Raising awareness in this area will promote the correct recycling of pharmaceutical packaging, bolstering the supply of PCR and, in turn, promoting the manufacture and use of PCR products across the industry.

Stakeholder investment and participation in recycling programs present a further commitment to sustainability, positively enhancing consumer sentiment towards the industry.

Lastly, the pharmaceutical industry can ‘clean up’ its act by following a cyclical design process which factors sustainability into design throughout, minimizing material wastage and product weight. In turn, this reduces the carbon footprint of products, prioritizing efficiency in production and continuously taking part in and supporting research and development.

Innovation has given way to a new age of packaging called bio-based packaging. In 2022, the bio-based packaging market was valued at USD 7.92 billion, but it has been forecast that between 2023 and 2032 the market is going to show a CAGR of 12.5 percent reaching USD 25.86 billion.

Bio-based packaging products are manufactured with plant-based materials known as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and molded biodegradable pulp such as sugarcane pulp. However, on balance, it is important to realize that bio-based packaging is also not a silver bullet to the packaging pollution crisis of today.

Although bio-based packaging is derived from renewable biomass such as plants, not fossil raw materials, this does not guarantee their biodegradability or composability. Unless certified as home compostable, bio-based packaging requires very specific conditions within industrial composting plants in order to biodegrade and cannot be composted at home.

The resulting consumer mismanagement of bio-based packaging waste only serves to create another mountain to climb.

Enhancing regulatory collaboration for sustainable packaging

As the pharmaceutical industry embarks on the journey towards more sustainable packaging solutions through the integration of PCR, a critical aspect that deserves attention is regulatory collaboration.
However, ensuring that these new materials comply with stringent health and safety standards while also meeting environmental objectives is a delicate balancing act.

Concerns about the potential risks of using PCR for medicinal packaging, such as contamination and inconsistencies, must be addressed. Together, industry stakeholders and regulators can develop protocols and quality assurance measures that ensure the reliability and safety of PCR in pharmaceutical packaging.

Pharmaceutical companies will need to work closely with regulatory bodies to establish clear guidelines and standards for the use of PCR in packaging. This collaboration is pivotal in overcoming the hurdles associated with the adoption of recycled materials in an industry where patient safety is non-negotiable.

Therefore, collaboration between regulatory bodies, the pharmaceutical industry and recycling organizations is crucial to establish a clearer path for the responsible integration of PCR into pharmaceutical packaging. Developing industry-specific guidelines and standards for PCR use, testing and quality assurance could mitigate some of the issues currently facing the adoption of recycled materials.

By forging strong partnerships with regulatory agencies, the pharmaceutical sector can streamline the approval process for PCR, reducing the time and resources required for testing and validation. This not only expedites the adoption of sustainable packaging but also paves the way for a smoother transition toward more environmentally responsible practices.

In this context, the pharmaceutical industry can emerge as a beacon of responsibility and innovation, setting the standard for other sectors to follow. By working hand in hand with regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies can navigate the complexities of sustainable packaging while upholding the highest standards of patient safety. The result is a win-win scenario, where PCR can become a catalyst for change, reducing plastic waste and minimizing the environmental impact while maintaining the integrity of vital medicines.

Although there is a long way to go with each solution coming with its own unique challenges, growing commitment and continued investment into sustainability research means the future of a cleaner pharmaceutical packaging industry is a hopeful one. 

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Steve Brownett-Gale is Marketing Lead at Origin.