15. Jan 2020
Gerresheimer manufactures sustainable primary plastic packaging
Consumers are increasingly demanding eco-friendly plastic packaging products, and specifically, sustainable packaging solutions that can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. A pioneer in the quest for greater sustainability, Gerresheimer, a leading global partner to the pharma and healthcare industry, offers an extensive standard range of plastic packaging and devices made from PET, R-PET, and bio-PET plastics.
Gerresheimer produces solutions for the international pharmaceutical and healthcare industry across the board, including all aspects of beauty and hygiene. The company is aware of its obligations to the circular economy and uses recycled materials to make plastic and glass packaging for pharmaceuticals.
Most pharma- and healthcare products are packaged in PET bottles and containers, as the material is lightweight, versatile, easily moulded, and shatterproof. Packaging products have also been developed based on recycled PET, also known as R-PET.
And while Gerresheimer has offered its PET ranges with various blends of recycled post-industrial and post-consumer materials (PCR) for years now, the company can now supply containers made from up to 100 percent R-PET.
In a further innovation, Gerresheimer has developed a new, refillable plastic bottle at the request of one of its major customers. The bottle has straight edges like a cube, offering four sides. The result is impressive: a refillable container that is exceptionally lightweight for its volume and that can be stacked on top of one another in a simple and space-saving manner thanks to a recess in the bottom. This design in turn reduces the CO2 emissions during transport.
Gerresheimer has also developed a range of products made from bio-PET. Bio-PET is made from a sustainable and renewably-sourced feedstock, such as sugarcane. First, the ethanol is extracted from the sugarcane plant, before being dried and dehydrated to transform it into green ethylene. This then goes to the polymerization plants, where it is converted into green polyethylene (PE) or PET. Under the name BioPack, Gerresheimer has launched a broad spectrum of plastic packaging for drugs and cosmetics made of biomaterial instead of conventional PE or PET.
Gerresheimer will be showcasing its sustainable and innovative glass and plastic packaging at booth B60/B64, hall 7.2 at the Pharmapack Exhibition in Paris on February 5 and 6, 2020.
http://www.gerresheimer.com