19 July 2023

Bioplastics: our commitment to a more sustainable future

In the pharmaceutical industry, plastic is a valuable resource. The characteristics of this material in fact guarantee hygienic safety and protection from bacterial contamination, with the advantages of lightness and resistance to impacts, preserving their integrity up to the hands of consumers.

We have been producing packaging and components for this delicate sector for many years, and we are well aware of the challenges of the future.

Packaging for medicines, in fact, must have a series of characteristics that allow adequate protection of the contents, easy handling by the user and good resistance. Those are characteristics that plastic possesses and that have allowed it over time to become the safest and most performing material for this sector.

We cannot anyhow forget the environmental impact, which today can be reduced not only through the correct disposal of the material, but also by choosing plastic of biological-vegetable origin instead of mineral.

At IBS Moulding, we have chosen to follow this path for some years now, aware that the future of the planet is also in our hands.

What is it all about?

Bioplastic is the sustainable alternative to traditional plastic. It is mainly produced from renewable sources such as corn starch, sugar cane, vegetable oils, potatoes and algae, which have less impact on the environment than petroleum-derived plastic. When we talk about "environmental impact", the parameters are mainly the amount of CO2 involved in the production and distribution process and the easy of disposability of the waste generated. In these terms, bioplastics represent a more sustainable solution because they reduce dependence on oil, thus helping to limit the extraction of non-renewable resources and associated greenhouse gas emissions, and because they degrade more quickly than traditional plastics. As for CO2, the production of bioplastic requires less energy and can generate fewer emissions.

At IBS Moulding we are aware that every step in this direction, even if it involves a commitment in terms of innovation of production processes, is a step that is worth taking and that must be taken as soon as possible. On the other hand, we also know that there is still a long way to go for total sustainability of plastic materials.

Today, we use bioplastics wherever possible to reduce the use of non-renewable resources, helping to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and providing better opportunities for waste management and recycling. In addition, we continue to make increasingly environmentally and people-friendly choices, improving and optimizing production and working in plants that are more sustainable from every point of view.

Learn more about sustainability at IBS Moulding