Cytiva is launching an innovative recyclable packaging solution to replace polystyrene through its Designing in Sustainability strategy, in collaboration with TemperPack, a provider of cold chain packaging.
Key highlights:
- Each year Cytiva ships approx. 60,000 polystyrene boxes of product used to make life-saving vaccines and therapeutics.
- Cytiva has launched a new, recyclable thermal packaging solution made from renewable paper and corn starch, as part of its Designing in Sustainability strategy.
- The provided insulation aims to maintain the required low temperatues in shipping boxes and overall, reduce the amount of landfill waste.
The new liners are made with renewable paper and corn starch as their primary ingredients. The insulation is proven to maintain the necessary low temperatures in shipping boxes and greatly reduce the amount of waste Cytiva’s customers send to landfill.
Emmanuel Abate, president of genomic medicine and head of sustainability, says:
Our new packaging and distribution method will prevent the equivalent of 71 shipping containers filled with polystyrene from ending up in landfills.
"And we couldn’t have done it without the excellent collaboration of TemperPack.”
Replacing polystyrene is a key part of Cytiva’s ambitious sustainability targets. Each year Cytiva ships approximately 60,000 polystyrene boxes of product used to make life-saving vaccines and therapeutics. Those products require protection and temperature control which until now, was done best with polystyrene. Once this new packaging solution is deployed globally, 2335 cubic meters of waste will be eliminated (the equivalent of 71 ocean shipping containers). By 2025 polystyrene will be completely eliminated from Cytiva packaging.
Brianna Mackay, director of sales, TemperPack, says: “TemperPack’s mission is to develop sustainable packaging materials to replace plastic, at scale. It’s great to align with Cytiva who shares our values and our ambitious sustainability goals.”
Abate says: “Sustainability is the engine behind our innovation here. We’re pleased to be out in front, leading this important change. I encourage the entire life sciences industry to consider changing how we deliver our products.”