Navigating the Dual Demands of Pharmaceutical Packaging

Sustainability may not yet be required by law in pharmaceuticals, but it is rapidly becoming a competitive and reputational imperative. ©vchalup – stock.adobe.com

By Hadas Yafe and Noam Nahari with LOG Pharma Primary Packaging

In today’s pharmaceutical landscape, packaging serves as more than a container. It is a guardian of product efficacy, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and increasingly, environmental responsibility.

The dual imperatives of sustainability and product integrity are no longer mutually exclusive. Instead, they are merging into a single, complex challenge that packaging professionals must now address holistically.

A Shifting Landscape

Over the past decade, pharmaceutical companies have come under growing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint. Regulatory frameworks are tightening, governments are setting ambitious decarbonization targets, and consumers are more attuned to environmental impact than ever before.

Packaging is emerging as a key area for intervention. Unlike in other sectors, pharmaceutical packaging cannot compromise on function. It must provide robust protection against moisture, oxygen, and light, often for extended periods. It must be tamper-evident, child-resistant, and compliant with strict global regulations. These requirements have led to the widespread use of complex, multilayer materials that are often difficult or impossible to recycle.

Today, packaging professionals are grappling with how to maintain these essential protective properties while meeting increasingly stringent sustainability goals.

A Supply Chain Responsibility

Healthcare contributes nearly 5 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and according to Trinity Life Sciences, as much as 70% of these emissions stem from pharmaceutical supply chains. For companies aiming to improve their environmental performance, this makes supplier practices, including those of packaging providers, a critical area of focus.

Packaging is one of the most visible components of the pharmaceutical supply chain, but it’s also one of the most challenging to optimize for sustainability due to the regulatory and technical constraints involved. Still, pressure is mounting to act, and inaction is increasingly seen as a business risk.

The Regulatory Frontier

While agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) do not yet mandate sustainable packaging, regulatory landscapes are evolving.

The European Commission’s proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a case in point. It aims to harmonize recycling standards and encourage the use of reusable and recyclable materials across all sectors, pharmaceuticals included. Though not yet pharma-specific, such regulations could set the stage for future guidance.

For packaging professionals, staying ahead of these shifts is vital. Sustainability may not yet be required by law in pharmaceuticals, but it is rapidly becoming a competitive and reputational imperative.

From Compliance to Opportunity

Addressing sustainability is not just about mitigating risk. It also opens new markets and drives innovation. According to Grand View Research, the global sustainable pharmaceutical packaging market was valued at approximately $87.24 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% through 2030. This growth is largely driven by demand for biodegradable plastics, recycled materials, and plant-based alternatives.

To seize these opportunities, packaging companies must translate corporate ESG strategies into real-world technical solutions.

Building a Sustainability Strategy

The first step is engagement. A meaningful sustainability strategy begins with dialogue across the value chain and beyond. Stakeholders should include material suppliers, innovators, shareholders, employees, customers, and communities. Aligning expectations and fostering collaboration creates the foundation for measurable progress.

From there, companies must prioritize the environmental aspects of product design and manufacturing. Setting clear KPIs helps ensure accountability and track progress over time.

Many organizations find a valuable framework in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Though broad in scope, several SDGs are directly relevant to pharmaceutical packaging:

• SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change.
• SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure and foster innovation.
• SDG 8: Promote sustainable economic growth and decent work.
• SDG 17: Strengthen global partnerships for sustainable development.

Integrating these goals into strategy helps packaging companies align internal initiatives with global sustainability benchmarks.

Turning Strategy Into Action

For practical implementation, companies can start by aligning with evolving ISO standards. The ISO 18601 family, which covers packaging and the environment, is increasingly used to validate sustainability claims.

Next, attention should turn to product design, both improving existing formats and innovating new ones. Some key steps may include:

• Requiring all new packaging designs to meet a sustainability checklist.
• Reducing overall material use through optimized sizing and weight.
• Substituting with recycled or recyclable materials where possible.
• Exploring novel technologies and materials.

Innovation at the Core

Sustainability and innovation are inextricably linked. Today’s packaging professionals are exploring a wide range of solutions to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing performance. These include:

• Mono-material packaging: Easier to recycle while maintaining protective qualities.
• Active packaging: Uses materials like desiccants to control internal conditions and extend shelf life.
• Design optimization: Minimizes material use, lowers transport costs, and reduces carbon footprint.

Some companies are developing lighter-weight barrier bottles that maintain protection while cutting down on plastic use, showcasing how engineering advancements can serve dual goals of sustainability and safety.

A Systems Approach

Balancing sustainability with pharmaceutical safety is not a zero-sum game. It’s a multidimensional challenge that requires a systematic approach. Packaging must be evaluated within the context of the entire product lifecycle: from raw material sourcing and logistics to end-user behavior and disposal.

In some cases, a less recyclable material that significantly extends shelf life may be the more sustainable option due to reduced product waste. Conversely, switching to a fully recyclable material that shortens product stability may ultimately increase the environmental burden through higher spoilage and returns.

The key is understanding and navigating these trade-offs, and embedding sustainability into the earliest stages of product development. not tacking it on at the end.

Looking Ahead

The road to sustainable pharmaceutical packaging is long and complex, but it’s also filled with opportunity. As materials science advances, as recycling infrastructure improves, and as regulatory guidance becomes more defined, the pharmaceutical industry is poised to usher in a new era of packaging: safe, efficient, and sustainable by design.

Packaging professionals stand at the intersection of health and sustainability. Their decisions have the power not only to protect patients and ensure compliance, but to drive meaningful environmental and social progress. The challenge is great, but so is the potential to lead.

About the Authors

Hadas Yafe is VP HR&ESG at LOG Pharma Primary Packaging who overseas the company’s culture of growth and sustainability while advancing critical environmental, social, and governance initiatives.

Noam Nahari is the VP Marketing and Business Development at LOG Pharma Primary Packaging, a company specializing in plastic packaging with moisture and oxygen barriers for the pharmaceutical industry. He  specializes in tailoring primary packaging solutions for sensitive drugs.

Learn more at: https://logpac.com/