Medical ​&​ diagnostic devices

The versatility of polypropylene and polyethylene, combined with their cost competitiveness and easy shaping during conversion, makes them the first choice for applications such as syringes, catheters, needle hubs, needle protectors, inhalers and filter housings. Changes in the requirements of medical devices, such as high transparency, sterilisation by steam and radiation, as well as highly complicated moulds and shapes, encourage polyolefin producers to develop new materials. The right choice of material is essential to securing the application and its content, thereby safeguarding the life of the patient.

Bormed™ solutions for BFS applications

Blow-fill-seal (BFS) technology is widely used for the sterile filling of polyethylene and polypropylene containers for parenteral preparations and infusions, eye drops, and inhalation products.

Generally, Bormed™ LDPE an additive free Low Density Polyethylene are typically used for these blow moulded healthcare containers. LDPE is characterised with a balanced flexibility to facilitate the collapsibility of containers. Bormed™​ LDPE can be sterilised by steam, ethylene oxide, gamma radiation, or radiation up to 35 kGy.

The soft polypropylene resin, Bormed™ SB815MO, with a unique property balance, can be used to produce fully self-collapsible IV contain​ers, similar to LDPE, and is pharmacopeia compliant. On top of that, IV containers made from this soft PP resin, Bormed™ SB815MO, are autoclave sterilisable at 121°C, as polypropylene has greater thermostability than polyethylene.

The Design for Recycling Challenge in Healthcare Sector

Some healthcare applications today already follow the principles of Design for Recycling and incorporate mono material solutions such as 100% PE infusion bottles or bottles for irrigation solutions.

Consumer health is the segment where increased awareness for environmentally sustainable solutions is more pressing. Particularly in oral solid dosage products, consumers tend to regard such packaging like any other and require similar recycling solutions.

Borcycle is the Borealis portfolio of recycling technology solutions giving polyolefin-based, post-consumer waste another life. Specifically interesting for the healthcare industry is the Borcycle C line, converting plastic waste that typically goes to incineration or landfill, to virgin quality materials and thus closing the loop even for difficult-to-recycle plastic waste.

Renewable-based circular polyolefins

Recycling post-consumer plastic waste is not enough to truly transform the polyolefin industry and its environmental impact. In 2020, Borealis succeeded in replacing fossil fuel-based feedstocks in a large-scale commercial production by launching the Bornewables solutions: Circular polyolefins produced with renewable feedstock derived entirely from waste and residue streams. The Bornewables offer the same material performance and regulatory compliance as virgin polyolefins, but with a reduced carbon footprint and decoupled from fossil-based feedstock.