Patient-specific pouch packaging demonstrably offers numerous opportunities for people in need of care, the chronically ill, family caregivers, but also for lifestyle products such as dietary supplements or vitamins. Individual packaging offers protection against medication errors and adherence, but what is a great help on the one hand raises the issue of sustainability on the other.

After a plastic bag ban, single-use deposit and various other programs in several European countries to reduce plastic waste, there are a couple of a legitimate questions. What is the environmental aspect? Is there the possibility to have a pouch film that is bio-based and bio-degradable?

Similar to food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging is subject to stringent requirements in terms of safety, stability and hygiene.  At the same time, almost every country has its own recycling system for recyclable materials.

The film used currently consists of a mix of materials and can be fed into the recycling loop in Germany via the “Green Dot”. The long-term vision is to develop a packaging material that is both bio-based (of biological origin) and bio-degradable. Drug packaging, for example, could then be made from renewable raw materials such as cellulose, corn or sugar cane and be fully composted.

Manufacturers of pouch packaging machines see it as their responsibility to also fulfill the aspect of sustainability. They have therefore set themselves the goal of fulfilling the desire for environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging materials.

BD Rowa is also pursuing this vision and is already testing bio-degradable materials. The short-term goal there is to develop a film that is largely of biological origin and at the same time meets all regulatory and technical requirements, as well as the wishes of customers. In addition, the European Commission is working on a solution for uniform disposal.