Can we reduce plastics usage in pharmaceutical industry? – Think

This article is not about packaging or the plastics and polymers used in the Pharmaceutical Industry or the advances and automation in handling specialised packaging. Across the globe there are five critical subjects that can be talked, deliberated and condemned endlessly. To the best of my perception these are – 

• Plastics and Environment – Frankenstein

• Food – any food, outside home we eat in Junk food 

• Chemical based drugs (Allopathic drugs): Biggest Challenge for Human Health – Publicised Wildly and Widely 

• World peace and no wars

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Only acclaimed 

Except the first topic rest are not going to have any solution and they are apparently having no end either. They will be only discussed at all the levels on global platforms and are on the top of agenda for all future meetings, conferences, conclaves, seminars, workshops and political forums. 

Can you imagine the life without RUBBER BANDS, CELLO TAPE, BOPP TAPES and STAPLER PINS? These used to be important accessories in offices (before E-age) and now these are available in abundance in any shop, hawkers, vendors, on-line shopping outlets and household. The life without above seems to be impractical if not impossible. One may find it unimaginable to live without these.

We definitely cannot have everything INSTANT – make when you need and use the same. In the present-day world, we have to have inventories, stocks and logistics in place for immediate delivery/ availability. Seeing the nature and the need of any item the packaging, storage and transport worthiness add much more to the actual cost of the goods. All the health experts and nutrition specialists keep on talking big but spices ads are given by celebrities only. Every week there is a new restaurant or food joint or street food stall and even drug stores and retail outlet in every suburb of metro cities.

The new generation may not be able to imagine life without any of the above first three, as far as the war and peace are concerned, it is strategic so let average minds not bother for it. I am not convinced that the food and drugs must be criticised or condemned. The need of drugs and food is universal and the food habit vary from place to place. Generally, what we eat cannot be UNSAFE. It is the matter of quantity, ways and means of cooking and the additives. If under control and scientifically (rather biologically) managed no food must be labelled as Junk. 

Similarly, there appears to be a war waged and meticulously patronised by the lobbies that control the national economy and political power, amongst various medicine systems in the country. The situation is like CHOR SE KAHE TU CHORI KAR AUR SAAH SE KAHE TU JAAGTE RAHIYE (To run with the hare and hunt with the hounds). I am not dwelling on this subject for long because my focus is something which is impacting our life to a level beyond control. The above two matters can be managed and ae very much understood by the consumers, their discretion and preference will make a big difference. Those born after 1980 may find everything historical and imaginary and may think, for times immemorial plastics of various types have been the only material available for storage, cooking, packaging, creating fashion, for electronics and even for construction of the houses. Look at the surroundings it is all plastics, technically people may call it polymers of various types, grades and chemical composition. I was very much convinced by an advertisement where the housing units of future will have no kitchen or grocery storage except heating or warming devices and the refrigeration units will be of the room size. This talks about the packaging, storage and transportation for the future.

Suddenly there has been serious awareness about the environment, pollution, safety, health hazards, ailments related to plastics (rather chemicals) and there has been a talk of green revolution once again. People are moving towards organic crops of cereals, fruits and vegetables. They are switching to Vegan food style. Now it is not a religious thought but a philosophy to go towards the nature and protect the gradual decay leading to global warming and deterioration of human health with unknown diseases and new symptoms of impaired health. India still has the advantage compared to western world regarding disposable and reusable packaging components. This generates less of waste to be disposed or subject to destruction. I am talking about this situation way back in 2010, it was being discussed in Florida US in a convention where I too participated.  

My concern is mainly for processing and handling of the drugs and pharmaceuticals, doesn’t matter be it Allopathic or Ayurvedic or Homeopathic. Most of us in our 50s might know it used to be mainly metals, glass or paper being abundantly used for processing, storage, dispensing, packaging and transportation of the drug products. The factors like handling, weigh, freight, breakage, convenience and user-friendly attributes drew the attention of scientists, chemical engineers and packaging experts to develop and evolve the safe alternatives. The focus was obviously the speed, volume, cleanliness, cost, availability, transportation and stability of the drug products.

Today, if we can assess then we might be surprised that the variety of plastics we use in pharmaceutical industry is phenomenal. Unfortunately, all these are used for one single time and are to be discarded, disposed or subjection to destruction. I am afraid if the recycling of any type of plastics generated in the pharma industry is possible or recommended. 

The usage of plastics in the pharmaceutical operations starting from the raw materials packaging and transportation to the finished product (formulation) delivery to the consumer/patient is humongous. PE bags of various capacities 5 g to 50 kg, hand gloves, half a dozen variety of tapes, disposable footwears, disposable overalls for the clean areas and all sorts of bottles and lab utilities. LDPE, HDPE, PVC, PET, Nylon, Silicon, viscose, Teflon, blister films of various types, shrink films, poly-laminated films, lamination, FFS granules etc. I can keep on adding even to the medical devices. Imagine the waste generated in the pharmaceutical companies and the hospitals every day. Those having worked in manufacturing of pharmaceutical products and hospitals would know this. After the food packaging and the cosmetics & toiletries, pharma industry (nutritional products excluded) and health/hospital/medical accessories (syringes, tubing, plasters, infusion bottles etc.) is the largest consumer of plastics.

In this era of awareness towards health, environment, carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity and the non-stop reports of presence of plastic particles/fibres in the human system, there is a need to evolve safer and better alternatives. I understand business, cost, convenience, safety, fragility and weight considerations cannot be overlooked or sidetracked but the need for safety on a long-term basis also cannot be ignored or compromised. Let the science and technology work on this important matter.