New recycle-ready, high-barrier laminates for medical devices

In recent years, the demand for more sustainable packaging has impacted almost every industry, driven by new regulations and the global push towards more responsible practices. Even though healthcare packaging currently stands outside the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the healthcare market is still moving toward more sustainable and mindful packaging. In addition, product packaging that is recycle-ready* gives medical device manufacturers the chance to differentiate in a highly competitive market.

The ideal medical device packaging would include recycle-ready materials instead of non-recyclable, conventional aluminum laminates, however achieving this without sacrificing barrier performance and prohibitively raising costs remains a complex task.

Challenges of moving towards recycle-ready packaging for medical devices

Many medical devices are sensitive to moisture change, which can directly affect shelf-life and product integrity. Aluminum laminates are the industry's current go-to packaging solution, delivering the high barrier performance essential for protecting these devices. Any move away from this standard inevitably raises concerns about regulatory compliance, stability, and product safety.

Change can also be intimidating. There can be an initial cost of switching to new packaging due to testing, adaptations to machines or processes, and regulatory considerations. Close collaboration is needed between medical device manufacturers, packaging machine manufacturers and packaging suppliers to optimise the machinability of new recycle-ready materials and to maximise production efficiency.

Over time, benefits such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fee savings and a reduction in carbon footprint, will become significant. Recycle-ready packaging will eventually be the industry standard, so using this option now gives you an early advantage.

Introducing High Barrier Recycle-Ready Medical Laminates

Medical device manufacturers require a solution that achieves the optimum balance between lower-impact packaging and high product performance. This needs to be achieved at an acceptable cost with ease of processing and regulatory compliance.

With proven expertise and a strong R&D foundation, our team is well-placed to deliver a solution that meets these demanding criteria. We have extensive experience in providing high-performing, cost-effective, recycle-ready packaging across many industries, as well as providing brands with accurate packaging sustainability assessments. Amcor has pledged to develop all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by the end of 2025 and to increase our use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.

Our Recycle-Ready High Shield Medical Laminates offer a breakthrough for medical device manufacturers seeking packaging with a lower carbon footprint and a cost-effective alternative to traditional non-recyclable packaging.

Our Recycle-Ready High-Shield laminates, which can be recycled within a mono-PE stream*, feature advanced barrier technology and reach very low levels of WVTR (water vapor transmission rate). The range includes two options: the clear laminates, and the metallized laminates, which achieve an even higher moisture barrier level. This makes metallized Recycle-Ready High Shield Medical Laminates a suitable replacement for aluminum-based laminates, although aluminum remains the most appropriate option for some applications that require an absolute barrier.

The ultra-low moisture transmission rates of these laminates make them ideal for devices that are sensitive to moisture loss or gain. Producers of personal use catheters are already working closely with Amcor to evaluate and develop these recycle-ready high barrier structures.

These packaging solutions support manufacturers in the drive towards a circular economy for medical packaging. They reduce the carbon footprint by up to 70% when compared to traditional aluminum laminate solutions**.

Meeting your need for future-ready medical packaging

Our team collaborates closely with customers to design recyclable packaging systems to meet shelf-life requirements while also achieving packaging durability, ease of use, and regulatory compliance. You’ll get support from our specialized healthcare R&D experts, as well as benefit from our technical partnerships with both raw material suppliers and machine manufacturers.

With a focus on validation, our medical packaging solutions meet the challenge of sterilization through a range of irradiation processes. Equally important, these solutions also ensure ease of access and usability of the device.

Committed to providing an end-to-end service, Amcor works closely with machine suppliers, offering technical support to optimize the processing of new laminates. Our Field Technical Services team can offer guidance on how to run the new laminates on existing machines or recommend the most suitable new machine for the job.

All-around service with recycle-ready premade pouches

Amcor offers Recycle-Ready High-Barrier Laminates in reels, and we also offer them as premade, ready-to-use pouches out of our facilities in Sligo, Ireland and Horsens, Denmark. Opting for premade pouches gives you multiple benefits, including accelerating your time to market.

Our team collaborates with each customer to develop pouches that perfectly meet their needs, helping them choose the right material and establish the optimum design. We can even do the printing on the pouches so you don’t have to.

Depending on the sterilization method that is required for the packaged product, Amcor can supply breathable pouches for ETO sterilization and non-breathable pouches for gamma sterilization.

Request a meeting with our experts today

Switching to more sustainable packaging for medical devices can be a complex challenge, but with our team's support you can take this vital step with confidence. Request a meeting today to explore how our Recycle-Ready High Shield Medical Laminates can help your organisation meet its sustainability goals.