How sustainable soft packaging materials are making waves in pharmaceutical packaging

How sustainable soft packaging materials are making waves in pharmaceutical packaging

At the "2024 Seventh International Conference on Green Pharmaceutical Development", held from 18 to 20 October 2024, HySum presented innovative solutions that are reshaping the pharmaceutical packaging landscape.

Green principles are essential for the quality development of the pharmaceutical industry. Strengthening the construction of a modern green industrial system and promoting sustainable development are crucial to enhancing the competitiveness of China's pharmaceutical sector. This year's conference focused on "High-Quality Development in Green Pharmaceuticals" and featured a series of parallel forums on green chemistry, biopharmaceutical technologies, smart pharmaceutical technologies, continuous flow drug manufacturing, formulation technologies, mechanochemical pharmaceutical processes and drug safety.

With over 500 participants, the conference brought together experts and scientists from 56 domestic and international universities and research institutions, including representatives from France, Russia, Singapore and Poland, as well as leaders and students from the School of Pharmacy at Zhejiang University of Technology and the Green Pharmaceutical Collaborative Innovation Center.

Experts, scientists and industry representatives from academia, research and production gathered in Deqing to discuss the progress of high-end, smart and green industries, contributing to the global development of innovative medicines. At the conference, HySum's Director of Technical Research, Fu Jian, shared insights on "The Application of Sustainable Soft Packaging Materials in Pharmaceutical Packaging".

HySum is pioneering solutions tailored for pharmaceutical applications, focusing on various sustainable packaging materials, including single-material polyolefins, paper/fibre-based options, compostable and biodegradable bio-based polymers, and aluminium foil. Their innovative, recyclable and sustainable pharmaceutical packaging solutions meet diverse packaging and barrier needs and bring fresh ideas to the pharmaceutical packaging sector.

The global pharmaceutical packaging industry is currently working towards three key recycling targets: dechlorination, dealumination and the promotion of recyclable plastics by 2025. The industry consensus emphasises the need for sustainable change, with a commitment to eliminate chlorine and aluminium from packaging.

HySum has already surpassed its target this year by replacing PVC with polyolefin blister technology, significantly reducing carbon emissions while ensuring high barrier properties and safety in pharmaceutical packaging.

Deeply invested in sustainable soft packaging research, HySum is continuously exploring areas such as physical and chemical compatibility, moulding technology, microbial activity studies and contaminant analysis in high-risk formulations, thereby influencing the sustainable pharmaceutical packaging landscape.

HySum is committed to collaborating with academia and industry, and has partnered with Donghua University's Advanced Low-Dimensional Materials Center to develop new high-barrier single-material soft packaging structures and sustainable low-carbon materials. Their research aims to address the critical challenges facing the soft packaging industry.

This year, HySum launched the industry's first carbon footprint visualisation platform for soft packaging. This tool enables companies to digitally manage the full lifecycle of their product's carbon footprint, enabling informed emission reduction strategies and accelerating the transition to smart, green practices.

The journey towards sustainability is a marathon, and HySum is committed to driving innovation while adhering to a sustainable development strategy. By combining technological advancement with environmentally friendly practices, they strive to improve ESG governance, develop recyclable and biodegradable packaging, and provide a green engine for soil and ecosystem protection. HySum is actively building an innovative hub for sustainable soft packaging, continuously delivering recyclable and carbon-reducing technological solutions to lead the way towards a green, low-carbon future.