INTERPHEX 2026: Gaps in Sustainable Packaging

PharmTech spoke with Rohan Kumar, a laboratory analyst at CS Analytical, to learn more about sustainability in pharmaceutical packaging and how companies can improve their efforts to ensure a sustainable future. Kumar works in contract package testing conducted within a broader package qualification strategy and participated in the Quick Fire session “Building a Sustainable Future for Pharmaceutical Packaging” at INTERPHEX in New York, New York, on Wednesday, April 22.

PharmTech: What are the current gaps in sustainability that occur in pharmaceutical packaging?

Kumar: I think the biggest gaps in sustainability stem from a “this is how it’s always been done” mindset. While consistency and reliability are arguably some of the most important factors when making drug products, I think it is important that we distinguish [which] areas demand the most scrutiny and [which ones] not as much so. For example, conscious decisions to take the lifecycle management of a pre-illed syringe carton during initial design can have downstream long-term savings in materials, emissions, and capital.

What can pharmaceutical companies do to improve sustainability with their packaging materials?

The biggest thing I think pharmaceutical companies can implement is keeping sustainability in the picture from day 1. Once a packaging design enters initial manufacturing, making changes becomes increasingly difficult as production ramps up, [so] proactively trying to make packaging more sustainable, while not impossible, ends up being a harder-than-expected task, as it may also require revalidating systems. I am a firm believer that patient safety should always be the No. 1 priority in this broader industry, but that doesn’t mean that sustainability has to be an afterthought.

Are regulators pushing for more sustainable packaging?

The short answer is yes. There is currently a US Pharmacopeia subcommittee focusing on sustainability [and] government extended producer responsibilities that are now in place in a few states that are starting to drive the push toward sustainable packaging. However, the big caveat here is that the biggest hurdle is data and that data can be provided only by the manufacturers themselves. [Therefore], it is important that more manufacturers and producers take the initiative to drive the regulatory change toward more sustainable packaging rather than waiting for it to happen.

Which packaging materials for solid dosage products are best for the environment?

For large-molecule products? Deciding on the choice of packaging materials for any drug product (solid oral dose, parenteral, biologics) is a nuanced question that usually requires an individualized approach based on the specific drug. Factors like light sensitivity, product acidity, and reactivity can impact the choice of packaging. [Consequently], it is hard to provide a one-material-fits-all recommendation even when considering drugs of the same format. Nonetheless, in my experience, the biggest areas that should see material changes are those [encompassing] larger biologic products. The use of recycled materials in autoinjector housing or vial caps, while small, [is a change] that can be made now [and would have] no impact on the drug itself. For small-molecule drugs, HDPE [high-density polyethylene] and polypropylene are common choices. While alternative plastics are being developed, they have not yet been fully demonstrated to be as chemically nonreactive for widespread use. Improvements to the overall supply chain, pack-out, and testing process can still have noticeable impacts.

Are there enough options in the packaging materials market for pharmaceutical companies to choose from? What does the supply chain look like?

There is a wide range of options in packaging materials for pharmaceutical companies to choose from. The current barriers to implementation stem more from cautious practices and a lack of precedent. From a supply chain perspective, things like smart shippers and systematic QR codes that can share digital information are improvements that can help optimization, which ultimately reduces emissions and the overall environmental burden.