LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), a leader in the global chemical industry, together with Röchling Medical, part of Röchling Group, known for producing high quality, secure medication packaging, have announced a step forward towards their ambition to advance the circular economy. The companies created eye drop containers made by Röchling Medical using CirculenRenew polymers.
LyondellBasell CirculenRenew polymers offer a variety of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) grades that are equivalent to virgin resin quality. LyondellBasell CirculenRenew grades support the use of renewable feedstocks from bio-based sources that are not in competition with food sources.
“We are very proud to work with Röchling Medical on this project. It’s the first time we are supplying CirculenRenew grades for a primary pharmaceutical packaging application. This is an important milestone for us which also supports our ambitious goal of producing and marketing 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable-based polymers by 2030,” says Mathieu Lecomte, marketing manager at LyondellBasell.
LyondellBasell and Röchling have collaborated closely to find the right grade for Röchling’s eye drop containers. After several trials, the project team has chosen a Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) not only because of its high purity, which is necessary for pharmaceutical applications, but also because it was ideal for use in blow molding.
“In such a highly regulated environment as the pharmaceutical industry, driving change towards more sustainable solutions for primary packaging is a challenge, ” says Grit Pasche, Röchling Group’s global director quality & regulatory affairs. “Therefore, CirculenRenew was the right choice for us. These renewable-based polymers offer the same properties as fossil-based alternatives in terms of product performance.”
This advancement is possible via the principle of mass balancing. The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus certification provides traceability of the renewable content along the supply chain and verifies that the mass balance accounting follows predefined and transparent rules. Customers can use these certificates to verify compliance with sustainability and traceability requirements. As part of an ISCC Plus certified supply chain, pharma customers are able to actively contribute to promoting sustainability and conserving resources, ultimately reducing the CO2 footprint of their products.
This recent project illustrates how value chain collaboration can lead to innovative solutions with sustainability goals in mind. Together, LyondellBasell and Röchling are helping to unlock the circular potential of plastics.
Source: LyondellBasell