The shift to sustainability is a responsibility for every industry and every manufacturer. But when patient safety is on the line, the challenge becomes doubly complex. With no room for compromise, how can medical devices address the health of patient and planet? Finding the right material solutions is the key to success.
Product development in the medical and healthcare segment is a long and costly process ruled by regulation, and resistant to changes that require re-qualification. Still, solutions are possible to deliver the performance you need and meet your sustainability goals.
From sourcing of raw materials to reuse and disposal of products, sustainable material solutions can protect the environment, ensure long-term resource availability, and create a healthier future for all. Let’s dive into the variety of medical-grade polymers for you to consider.
Materials produced with green energy
One strategy to reduce your carbon footprint is to source materials produced with green energy.
For example, since October 2023, our supplier Evonik has been using green energy to produce its PA12 & PEBA VESTAMID® Care range of moulding compounds approved for medical applications. That reduces emissions from production by 30% on average.
While the materials are from fossil feedstock, the production method gives you a more sustainable path forward. Evonik’s technical datasheets provide full transparency on global warming potential (GWP) for use in the lifecycle assessment of your products.
Materials from renewable feedstock
Approximately 99% of plastic is produced with chemicals from fossil feedstocks, extracted as oil or gas from land or sea. Incorporating materials with renewable content — derived from agricultural products, like starch, cellulose, or chitin — offers a potential solution.
For medical devices with strict regulatory requirements, a change in material would require a time-consuming and costly approval process. That’s why drop-in solutions, like polypropylene from used cooking oil, can be an ideal option. Similar to fossil oil, used cooking oil is broken down into its components on a molecular level. So, it provides exactly the same mechanical properties and maintains the same regulatory compliance as its fossil-based equivalent.
One example in our portfolio is Bormed™ from Borouge International’s Bornewables™ range. They use second-generation renewable feedstock, like waste from vegetable oil refining and used oil from restaurants. Replacing one tonne of conventional polypropylene with Bormed Bornewables saves 2.1 tonnes of CO₂. That’s equal to about three return flights from London to Beijing.
Several of our customers have already made the transition from standard Bormed™ (fossil-based feedstock) to Borouge International’s Bornewables™ (renewable feedstock, ISCC mass balance approach) without having to re-qualify the material.
Materials with recycled content
Manufacturers are turning to recycled and recyclable content because it's a win-win for the planet and your bottom line. The feedstock is still fossil based, but it’s reusable. Switching to recyclable materials reduces reliance on dwindling resources. It also attracts eco-conscious consumers and investors, while future-proofing against stricter environmental regulations.
Our partner Eastman recently launched two new grades of their medical copolyester range Tritan™ Renew. These are produced from hard-to-recycle polyester waste, which is converted back into basic monomers by means of molecular recycling. It’s a drop-in solution with the same properties and performance as the original Tritan™, so it doesn’t trigger re-approvals.
Durable materials for multi-use
Medical devices weren’t always designed to be disposable. Originally, they were made of glass or metal and sterilised for reuse. Population growth, proliferation of healthcare treatments and increasing concerns over blood-transmitted diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, meant a shift to single-use devices. The development of more complex devices, minimally invasive procedures, and new plastics have only accelerated this trend.
To improve sustainability for certain medical and healthcare applications, it's worth considering the redesign of single-use items for durability and reuse. To be safely reusable, the device must be capable of sterilisation. Our expert Medical & Healthcare team can advise which materials are suitable for gamma, EtO or steam sterilisation.
What’s right for you?
Sustainability can provide a whole host of benefits beyond the obvious protection of our environment. It also enhances brand perception among eco-conscious customers and investors. With stricter environmental regulation on the horizon, acting early will save you compliance headaches down the road.
Finding the right path forward is different for everyone. Our experts are here to help you innovate with confidence, while maintaining the highest quality and safety standards for your products. Get in touch with our experts to learn more.