The packaging in patients’ safety plays a vital role as it conveys the necessary product information and proper dosing instructions for consumers. It protects medications from physical damage, contamination, moisture, light and other external factors that can tamper with the quality. The level of safety and efficacy is supervised by regulatory agencies, such as WHO, FDA and EMA, which set standards for materials, labelling and quality control.

A growing paradox now exists in the pharmaceuticals: while producing life-saving medications, it generates significant environmental waste, contributing to pollution and exacerbating the health challenges it seeks to address.  According to the WHO, at least 87,000 tonnes of waste are produced in the past few years due to the industry’s heavy reliance on plastics. Governments are concerned about ecological issues, highlighting an urgent need for greener alternatives and combined efforts. In 2019, the EU Commission adopted the “Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment“, that aims to counteract the negative effects on the nature. This is a promising step, but what are the pharma industry’s chances of making significant and lasting reductions in packaging waste?

Current Market Share

This rising demand for nonpolluting practices is gradually reshaping the entire pharmaceutical market. While traditional packaging still dominates, eco-conscious solutions are steadily gaining traction and currently account for approximately 25 percent of the primary share. Driven by stricter regulations and evolving consumer preferences, the sustainable pharmaceutical packaging market is expected to grow by 14.22 percent annually, reaching $376.8 billion in 2034.

Two factors contribute to this positive trajectory. In 2019, 170 countries in the United Nations pledged to ban plastics by 2030. Moreover, consumers are increasingly gravitating toward environmentally friendly products, influencing purchasing decisions within the pharmaceutical sector. This demand further accelerates the adoption of green packaging materials.

Growing Demand for Sustainable Innovations

The commitment to biodegradable packaging is evident across the board: a recent report highlighted the extra efforts of large pharmaceutical companies to explore and implement zero-waste innovations. Major players leverage their extensive resources and established infrastructure to scale up production and employ eco-friendly practices across their vast operations. LEIPA Georg Leinfelder GMBH is one of the examples: being the European market leader, it converts more than 1.5 million tons of waste paper back into high-quality paper and packaging per year.

However, large corporations are not the only contributors to environmental sustainability: startups are also proving to be influential as they often excel at rapid advancements and agility, developing cutting-edge materials and designs. One of such companies is Cabinet Health. It has developed the only FDA-approved non-plastic packaging for pharmaceuticals with refillable medicine bottles and compostable refill pouches with 13 filed patents.

These examples show how large-scale infrastructure improvements and newly developed startups are both important to achieving progress in sustainable pharmaceutical packaging.

Pharmaceutical Industry’s Ambitious Goals

The positive changes coupled with the efforts of companies are connected to the industry’s ambitious targets and developing strategies to reduce the environmental footprint. According to Pharmaceutical Technology, companies aim to lower their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 45.8 percent over the next 12 years.  Scope 1 refers to direct greenhouse gas emissions from owned or controlled sources, while Scope 2 includes indirect GHG associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat or cooling. The target submissions of Scope 1 and 2 should be in line with a 1.5°C trajectory to avoid significant consequences of climate change. Among all companies, Novo Nordisk has set the most ambitious goal, with a 100

This commitment is driving a meaningful shift in packaging processes. Companies are actively exploring alternative options, as seen in initiatives by Astellas that have adopted biomass-based plastic from plant-derived materials for the blister packages. The industry also makes efforts to implement closed-loop recycling with SCHOTT Pharma and Takeda leading the way. The systems they have integrated allow the recirculation of valuable polypropylene at the same quality level and reduce emissions by up to 50 percent. These innovations demonstrate the industry’s dedication to decarbonisation while maintaining the efficacy of pharmaceutical products.

Collaborations as Promising Path

The pharmaceutical industry cannot reverse the environmental damage caused by the processes of their previous years. However, it has an opportunity to apply innovative ways to slow the degradation of the environment by combining brands’ efforts to develop environmentally safe packaging techniques. To drive this meaningful change, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Packaging Congress 2025 brings together a carefully curated audience of packaging experts, outsourcing companies and medicine manufacturers to form strategic collaborations and find potential customers. Among the participants is SÜDPACK Medica AG with their new generation of recyclable blister – Pharmaguard.

This year, sustainability is one of the highlights of the event’s business programme. The topic is brought up in terms of the leadership panel, featuring executives from F. Hoffman La-Roche, UNICEF and Graphic Packaging International. Key discussion points at the session include:

• sustainability as a driver for packaging innovation;
• patient information and digital leaflets in Europe;
• eco-friendly flexible packaging solutions;
• the story of Ecuador’s resilience.

Furthermore, PHARMAP 2025 also hosts a roundtable, where C-level speakers from Merck, Bayer, INVITE GmbH and others discuss the new generation of recyclable blister materials and share their outlook on polypropylene-based packaging.

The practical solutions explored at the Congress underscore the companies’ commitment to overcoming the challenges inherent in building a sustainable pharmaceutical sector. By creating a dialogue, investing in eco-friendly packaging solutions and aiming to reduce GHG emissions, the industry is actively minimising its environmental footprint and unlocking new opportunities for growth, resilience and long-term success. However, the journey towards a green future is still ongoing, but with dedication and innovation, the prospects for lasting change are within reach.