SABIC and partners turn hospital plastic waste into sensitive packaging materials
SABIC has collaborated with Zuyderland medical center in The Netherlands to help transform medical plastic waste into new contact sensitive packaging materials.
In collaboration with converters, Coveris and ACE, and medical device brands Artivion and Mölnlycke Health Care, the SABIC and its project partners have successfully proven the concept of recycling used medical plastic back into the medical materials stream in two innovative pilot projects.
SABIC and partners from medical industry collaborate to transform non-contaminated plastic waste into new contact sensitive packaging materials.
Staff at Zuyderland launched a medical plastic waste collection program in June 2024 to help address unmet needs and challenges of plastic waste that would otherwise be incinerated. The program consists of a novel collection system for non-contaminated plastic waste that has not come into contact with patients, blood, or bodily fluids.
With the support of specialized transport company L’Ortye, the plastic waste was prepared and transported to SABIC to be converted into pyrolysis oil leveraging advanced recycling processes.
SABIC then used this alternative feedstock to produce virgin-like certified circular polyethylene (PE) from its TRUCIRCLE portfolio.
The new certified circular TRUCIRCLE PE has subsequently been used in two new healthcare solutions. First is packaging produced by Coveris, with 25% content attributed to recycled medical waste for Artivion’s guide wire used in vascular surgery.
Another is surgical drapes produced by Mölnlycke Health Care, which is with 49% content attributed to hospital-generated plastic waste to be delivered in the ProcedurePak solution with material component from ACE.
The collaboration is also academically supported by Maastricht University, who has recently been awarded an Interreg EU grant for a 3-year project to help drive ‘Circular Transformation of Health and Care Systems in the Meuse Rhine Region’ with partners including SABIC and Zuyderland.
