Sustainability of single-use flexible plastic bags in healthcare/ pharmacy

About the lecture 

Europe generated 50-60 metric tons of plastic waste last year, with much of it from pharmaceutical/ healthcare facilities being incinerated. The R-ladder framework (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Repurpose, Recycle, Recover, Dispose) offers a structured approach to waste management and we should strive towards the higher steps in the R-ladder whenever possible. As legislation like the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Single-Use Plastics Directive expands, the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will soon need to comply. Our initiative connects partners to find recycling pathways for single-use plastic bags in pharmaceutical facilities, aiming for sustainable end-of-life solutions, with potential applications for similar healthcare waste streams.

About the speaker

Marieke is a passionate Packaging Innovation & Sustainability Expert with a demonstrated history of working in the packaging industry at FMCG companies such as Mars and Heinz.

It is her belief that, as a society, we need to reduce our plastic waste, our CO2 emissions, and rely much less on fossil raw materials. And that we can only reach these goals by cooperation throughout the entire plastic packaging value chain. She therefore started working at the applied research center TNO two years ago. Focusing on knowledge development and bringing

About TNO

TNO, as a trusted, independent, and pioneering applied science and technology organisation, plays a multifaceted role. They innovate, investigate, and orchestrate, collaborating closely with governments, universities and the private sector. They inform government on policies and empower evidence-based decision-making through rigorous investigations, cutting-edge scientific insights, and reliable measurements. By building national and international consortia and ecosystems, TNO drives technological and methodological breakthroughs that help to realise a secure, sustainable, healthy, and digital society, and strengthen the earning power of the Dutch economy.

Over the last nine decades, TNO has developed countless innovations, each with its own impact. And for the coming decade, too, they are setting ambitious goals to achieve together with their partners. With these goals for 2030, they will contribute to resolving societal issues in the Netherlands and to boosting the country’s earning power.