04:2020

from MPN EU Issue 53

by MPN Magazine

The final countdown

The report was published by global market intelligence company, Fact.MR.

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Research predicts the use of plastics in packaging will multiply by two times during 2019-2029.

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A key reason is the adoption of sub-segments such as PP in sustainable packaging practices.

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However, to overcome limitations more recycling initiatives are needed e.g. in-store recycling.

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The Fact.MR analyst concluded: “Sustainability is key to growth in the pharmaceutical packaging market.”

NEW BIOPLASTIC ANNOUNCED B ioplastic offers an alternative to traditional plastic as it is made from renewable biomass sources.

A team of researchers at the University of Oulu, Finland, has developed a new synthetic bioplastic which claims to be more airtight than standard PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic as well as able to protect against the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Despite these properties, the bioplastic is able to be fairly transparent, as well as being completely biodegradable and compostable. This bioplastic was made by substituting chemicals for biomass. The material is made up of two raw materials, HydroxyMethylFurfural (HMF) and furfural, which are derived from cellulose and hemicellulose. These two materials are chemically linked in order to form copolymer parts with both bisfuran and furan-like structures. The team have filed a patent application for this method, and the results of this research are published in a journal by the American Chemical Society.

Treatment for diabetes often requires multiple, painful injections for a patient via a needle. Therefore, materials giant Covestro’s Makrolon material has been used by QS Medical Technology in an attempt to develop a patientfriendly delivery method. A biocompatible plastic like Makrolon was needed as the drug is injected at a high pressure under the skin surface. Additional desirable properties of this material include its resistance to cracking when in contact with lipids, its ability to be sterilised with high-energy radiation, and how Makrolon retains dimensions in different application environments. A LESS PAINFUL WAY TO TREAT DIABETES

CHECK OUT... HAVE YOU LISTENED TO OUR PODCAST YET? The MedTalk Podcast brings together the editor of Medical Plastics News alongside the editors of our sister titles Med-Tech Innovation and European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.