Bioplastic and paper to replace plastic usage in Sweden
12.6.2020
Our Kronans Apotek pharmacies in Sweden are replacing medicine dispensing aid products, such as medicine cups and syringes, to more environmentally friendly alternative made from recyclable bioplastic. The initiative continues our efforts to decrease plastic usage – in May, Kronans Apotek started to replace plastic bags with paper bags.
The medicine dispensing aid products are offered to customers to help them to dispense their medicine. The new bioplastic products are manufactured in Sweden and will replace the current plastic products that are imported from China. This means shorter transport and therefore even more decreased environmental impacts.
Additionally, the new products are recyclable and approved for food packaging (CE marking). They are delivered in carton display box without plastic wrapping or bag. The more environmentally friendly dispensing products also save costs, creating a win-win situation both environmentally and economically.
Bioplastic refers to a plastic made entirely or partly from renewable plant material (biomass). In the new medicine dispensers, the proportion of biomass in bioplastic is lower than 100%. We continue the dialog with our supplier to increase the proportion of biomass while ensuring that the high requirements for plastic used for medicine dispensers at met.
Replacing plastic bags will decrease 55 tonnes of plastic annually
In May, Kronans Apotek also started to replace plastic bags with paper bags in all its over 300 pharmacies. Plastic bags are replaced with paper bags made from recycled and FSC certified paper. This will decrease our plastic usage by approximately 55 tonnes annually.
Decreasing the plastic usage has been longer term goal for us even before this initiative. In 2019, our pharmacies sold 10 million pcs. fewer plastic bags than in 2016, and the plastic bags have been partly manufactured from recycled plastic.
