Risks in these industries

Companies that use packaging for their products, e.g. medicines, or that manufacture or distribute packaging, are exposed to economic and existential risks that can have their causes both inside and outside the company. For example:

1.1 Environmental issues

Globally, an estimated 13 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the oceans. In Europe, about 29 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually, of which only 9.4 million tonnes are recycled.  According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), 18.9 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in Germany in 2018. This means that the amount of packaging waste in 2018 was the largest ever recorded statistically in Germany. 

1.2 Economic risks for companies

For these reasons, both the EU and the German government have enacted legislation to counteract these problems. The EU's new plastics strategy is already having an impact on some plastic products that may no longer be sold in the EU. For example, plastic straws, polystyrene cups and shopping bags have been banned in Germany since 2022. Companies that put disposable plastic bottles on the market will have to pay a levy in the future. The plastic levy is intended to protect the environment: Above all, less plastic waste should end up in parks, forests and waters. A system of sanctions is foreseen for violations such as non-registration or incorrect quantities.

1.3 Operational culture in the industry

As a rule, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, for example, package their products in individual containers or bottles, regardless of the application and quantity. This is mainly due to the fact that the products offered consist of different chemical bases. Because of the risk of diffusion, the products have to be packaged separately for the market. From an ecological and economic point of view, companies today and tomorrow can no longer afford to sell their products in individual packaging if they want to survive or exist on the market.

Author: Dipl.-Ing. Celestin Fayet, R&D, process, quality consultant and inventor of multi-chamber technology

Tel: 0049 15732937916

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