New multi-stakeholder industry initiative launched in the UK to take collaborative action on recycling of primary pharmaceutical packaging

CHELTENHAM, England, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) initiative launched this week to tackle the challenges of recycling medicinal devices and pharmaceutical packaging.

The pharmaceutical industry faces recycling difficulties due to regulations and complex materials, and CiPPPA aims to enhance pharmaceutical packaging's end-of-life management to reduce waste and promote environmental stewardship.

Major pharmaceutical companies, global over-the-counter (OTC) brands, and healthcare systems like the NHS have joined the initiative, demonstrating a collective commitment to driving environmental and societal change. This joint effort reflects the industry's dedication to fostering positive environmental and community outcomes through cross-industry influence.

"Having previously sold thousands of tonnes of blister pack materials into the UK, and knowing that none of it was getting recycled, I became frustrated at the lack of sustainable solutions for the packs' end-of-life. By founding and establishing CiPPPA, we are able to deliver enhanced end-of-life for blister packs and related pharmaceutical packaging such as metered dose inhalers and injectables. The willingness of leading pharmaceutical companies and global OTC brands to support the initiative has been tremendous, and as CiPPPA continues to grow, so too does our ability to influence societal and cross-industry change."
– Duncan Flack, Global Sustainability Lead at Honeywell and Chairman of CiPPPA

"We're delighted to support the launch of this important initiative and look forward to collaborating to achieve shared goals that can positively impact the pharmaceutical industry, the NHS, patients and the planet. As a founding member of CiPPPA, Chiesi is committed to continuing our journey of driving greener practices both inside and outside of our business."
– Harriet Lewis, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Chiesi UK and Ireland

"We're proud to be a founding member of CiPPPA and join forces with partners across the sector to address the sustainable packaging of medicines and vaccines. We have ambitious company targets across climate and nature and through collaborative initiatives such as CiPPPA, we believe we can make a positive impact through the increased recycling of packaging, helping to protect the health of both people and the planet."
– Claire Lund, Vice President of Sustainability, GSK

About CiPPPA:

CiPPPA is a collaborative not-for-profit initiative that connects stakeholders across the entire pharmaceutical supply chain to develop and deploy solutions for recycling of primary pharmaceutical packaging. 

Get in touch with CiPPPA: www.cipppa.org.

The CiPPPA initiative is coordinated by TDi Sustainability as the Project Management Office.