Sustainability Stretches across the Globe
Efforts to achieve sustainability are stretching across the globe, and they are even influencing pharmaceutical packaging. But for a highly regulated industry that demands material traceability and consistency—and that typically uses material combinations that are nearly impossible to recycle—how can drug manufacturers achieve sustainability? At Pharmapack 2009, Nina Goodrich, Director Innovation, Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging (Montreal), will explain how pharmaceutical packagers can move toward sustainability in her presentation, “Sustainability: Creating the Path Forward for Pharmaceutical Packaging.” In the context of her discussion, she will introduce attendees to Alcan Packaging's proprietary new educational board game, EcoChallenge. STORY CONTINUES BELOW
To understand how to achieve sustainability with pharmaceutical packaging, "it is critical to go beyond what materials are used to form the package and look at the role the package plays in the lifecycle of the product, including the end-use," says Goodrich. To demonstrate, Goodrich will introduce ASSET, the Alcan Sustainability Stewardship Evaluation Tool. ASSET is Alcan’s lifecycle-based product stewardship tool designed to help understand packaging alternatives with respect to sustainability considerations. The assessment of different products is based on quantitative environmental criteria (ISO 14040) and qualitative criteria for social and long-term economic considerations. Outputs include green house gas emissions, water use, waste, and other ecoindicators. ASSET combines lifecycle analysis with social, economic, and environmental criteria. Considering that triple bottom line means looking at the lifecycle of a product and its package, says Goodrich, and ASSET helps manufacturers get started. For instance, "the social aspects of a package are often not included in a typical lifecycle analysis. But if a package, such as a compliance-encouraging package, can contribute to a patient's taking medication as prescribed, the outcome for the patient may be better." And better health may keep patients out of hospitals or further treatment, indirectly minimizing further resource use. Sustainability is more than just a greenhouse gas measurement, she emphasizes. In addition, the protection that packaging may afford can play a role in sustainability. "Product spoilage can be prevented and product actually used," adds Goodrich. Barrier packaging may also eliminate the need for secondary packaging or special handling in the field, which could lead in reduction of further materials or energy used. Alcan Packaging provides a range of packaging materials and services to pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers worldwide. The company will be exhibiting in stand B07 at Pharmapack. |
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