Sign up for Packaging Digest newsletters
A Packaging First in Carbon Capture PETA Packaging First in Carbon Capture PET
Bormioli Pharma, Chiesi along with Plastipak to supply the first pharmaceutical primary packaging made from carbon emissions.
2 Min Read
Rick Lingle via Canva
Pharmaceutical packaging solutions provider Bormioli Pharma partnered with research-focused biopharmaceutical company Chiesi Group to supply Carbon Capture PET bottles. The bottles will be used to package a medication indicated for the prophylaxis and treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, as well as vasomotor rhinitis.
This supply marks the first time a Carbon Capture PET bottle will be used for pharmaceutical purposes, offering environmental benefits and high safety levels for patients.
Carbon Capture PET is produced by capturing carbon emissions, which are then transformed into bio-derived monoethylene glycols aka MEG, the key molecule for PET production. That’s done through a fermentation process. The material is recyclable and maintains the same mechanical and physical performance as traditional PET.
Carbon Capture PET bottles provide a 21.9% reduction in CO2 equivalent compared to traditional PET, while extractables’ levels are comparable with the ones registered by standard PET.
“The agreement we've reached with Chiesi to supply one of their products with Carbon Capture PET bottles demonstrates both the performance and safety of these containers, as well as the growing commitment of the pharma industry towards sustainability,” reports Andrea Lodetti, CEO of Bormioli Pharma.
More key contributors to the innovation.
This pharmaceutical sustainability milestone is driven by a pioneering supply chain with significant contributions from two international leaders in sustainable solutions. One is LanzaTech Global, a carbon recycling company with technology responsible for capturing and recycling carbon emissions that are turned into CarbonSmart MEG. The other is Carbon Capture PET producer Plastipak, based in Piedmont, Italy. PlasticsToday reported last week that the US division of Plastipak is the first stateside supplier committed to making food-grade PEF packaging.
“For Bormioli Pharma, this is another significant recognition of the high-quality standards achieved by our packaging solutions,” Lodetti explains. “As of today, almost half of our sales are made up of products manufactured with low-impact materials, thanks to the development of one of the widest sustainable packaging offerings available in the pharma industry, EcoPositive, which comprises [more than] 3,000 items in glass or plastic.”
EcoPositive packaging details.
Announced in May 2022, EcoPositive offers three approaches to sustainable packaging:
Regenerate: glass and plastic packaging recycled from first-choice waste collection;
Renew: bioplastic packaging derived from renewable sources; and
Reloop: glass and advanced polymer products made from infinitely reusable materials.
Bormioli Pharma reports that EcoPositive product range has registered a +304% volume growth solely for low-impact plastic containers. The products also support the company's “50-in-5” corporate strategy, a strategy that aims to reach 50% of sustainable materials in sold products by 2025. In 2023, this share was 45%, with a further increase to almost 47% in the first half of 2024.
Read more about carbon capture developments at PlasticsToday.
About the Author
You May Also Like
