When it comes to choosing between glass and plastic packaging for pharmaceutical products, many people favour glass because of its environmental benefits over plastic. However, the reality is both materials can be widely recycled, and there are actually greater limitations when it comes to recycling glass – as it can only be turned into more glass.
When it comes to application, there are some products whereby glass will be more suitable, and there are others that are better off being distributed in plastic packaging.
Here, Origin looks at the environmental impact of glass vs plastic for pharmaceutical packaging, the benefits of the two materials and some popular packaging products.
The Difference Between Glass and Plastic in Pharma Packaging
Glass and plastic are both popular primary packaging materials for the pharmaceutical sector, with each offering unique benefits and drawbacks.
When choosing packaging, you need to make sure that your selection does not have a detrimental impact on the product. The product must also not alter the properties of the packaging and impact its protective function.
Many medicines can be packaged in both plastic and glass. However, it’s important to consider and monitor how well plastic or glass tolerates any active ingredients. There needs to be a careful examination of the medication at an early stage. This should be carried out when clinical testing for the primary packaging starts.
Now, let’s take a look at the advantages of glass vs plastic in further detail and what they may be suitable for…
Plastic
The plastic pharmaceutical packaging market is expected to reach $85.5 billion in value in the next decade (source), with the material being so convenient, cost-effective and protective for a diverse range of purposes.
There are many different types of plastic packaging solutions used in the pharma industry, including:
- Cartridges, nebulisers, and vials
- Sachets, blister packs, and strip packs
- Flexible tubes
- Pre-fillable syringes
- Jars, such as the Origin Jar
- Squeezable plastic bottle packaging for nasal sprays, eye drops, and eardrops
- Inhalers
- Bags for parenteral solutions for storing injectable medications, such as IV fluids
- Plastic packaging systems for aqueous solutions
- Sterile plastic packaging systems for blood components and human blood
- Rigid PET bottles that serve as packaging systems for solid dosage forms, for example, capsules and tablets
There are various types of plastics used for pharma packaging solutions, including Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), HDPE, LDPE and polypropylene. Depending on the properties of the plastic, such as its rigidity or flexibility, corrosion resistance, weight and more, each product is suited to protecting and storing a range of medicines and cosmetics products.
Glass
The glass pharma packaging market is also growing and is expected to reach $25.2 billion by 2029 with the material being highly resilient, sustainable and having an inert nature. Some common examples of glass packaging that are driving this growth include:
Pharmaceutical glass packaging is often chosen as a suitable option for packaging strong alkalis and acids. It is also suitable for packaging materials for most parenteral and non-parenteral preparations.
Type II glass is suitable for most neutral and acidic aqueous preparations, whether parenteral or non-parenteral. Type III is used in non-parenteral preparations. It is only used for parenteral products where suitable stability test data indicates it is satisfactory.
The colour of glass also offers unique benefits in the pharmaceutical space. For example, amber glass bottles are often used to store medicines that need additional protection against harmful UV rays, while clear glass medicine bottles are used to present products on store shelves.
The Environmental Impact of Glass vs Plastic
Glass is traditionally seen as the eco-friendly option due to being 100% recyclable and endlessly recycled. However, plastic packaging also offers benefits when it comes to sustainability.
Not only are many plastics widely recyclable, but some products are also made from recycled plastic, including recycled PET bottles.
Plastics, especially LDPE bottles, are also lightweight compared with glass packaging, allowing a greater volume of products to be shipped at one time, reducing a company’s carbon footprint.
Ultimately, when considering the difference between glass and plastic, both types of packaging solutions provide benefits for eco-conscious pharma companies. Importantly, packaging choices should always be based first and foremost on function and patient safety.
You can find out more about the role of recycling in pharma packaging in our guide.
Pharmaceutical Packaging Solutions from Origin
Origin is an industry leader in the design and production of a range of pharmaceutical packaging solutions, including innovative and compliant plastic packaging and glass packaging solutions.
Browse our packaging products or chat with our team to find out how we can work with you to develop a bespoke solution to suit your products and requirements.
