US – Rigid and flexible packaging solutions maker Nelipak has as announced it is using Eastman’s Eastar™ Renew 6763 to produce rigid thermoformed sterile barrier packaging.
Nelipak claims to be the first healthcare packaging maker to use Eastar Renew 6763 to produce sterile barrier packaging for Class II & III medical device applications.
According to Eastman, Eastar™ Renew 6763, powered by Eastman’s innovative molecular recycling technologies, is indistinguishable from Eastar™ 6763 copolyester, with the same durability, safety and performance relied on by medical device companies for decades.
The only difference is that by sourcing Eastar Renew, companies can certify that plastic waste is being diverted from landfills to produce new packaging.
Nelipak CEO Pat Chambliss said: “The use of Eastar Renew 6763 in medical device packaging is an important step towards circularity for packaging in the healthcare industry.
“We are excited to work with customers on projects where this new medical-grade material can play an important role in achieving their sustainability goals.”
Nelipak says that its goal is to divert waste volume equal to 25% of the weight of total packaging produced — with the potential to increase up to 50% by the end of 2023.
The certified plastic waste diversion is achieved by allocating recycled waste plastic to Eastman Renew materials using an ISCC-certified mass balance process.
Nelipak’s use of Eastar™ Renew 6763 in sterile barrier packaging products, is enabled by Nelipak’s ISCC PLUS certified facilities as well as ISCC PLUS certification at other supply chain partners.
ISCC PLUS is a globally recognized third-party certification system for tracking sustainable feedstocks through the supply chain.
Nelipak sustainability global head Nic Hunt added: “Developing sustainable solutions and increasing circularity are priorities for many of our customers.
“An exciting benefit of working with Eastar Renew 6763 is the ease of adoption as a result of its performance characteristics. This can help customers accelerate projects which contribute to achieving sustainability objectives.”
The company has been working to improve its barrier packaging. Last month, the company invested US$11.8 million to develop a flexible packaging production site in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
According to Nelipak, the facility will feature a Class VII cleanroom space and replicate the company’s flexible packaging production capabilities in Europe.
In addition, the development will see creation of at least 36 new jobs in Forsyth County and expects to make additional investments and job creation at the site over the next five years.
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