Inhaler wins Eco Packaging Award
Boehringer Ingelheim wins the Pharmapack Europe Eco Design Award 2020 for its Respimat inhaler model.
In Great Britain, 50 percent of all prescription inhalers must have a low global warming potential (GWP) by 2022. The Respimat model by pharmaceutical manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim already releases 71% less CO2 over its entire life cycle than conventional inhalers. This is one of the reasons why the reusable inhaler was awarded the Eco Design Award 2020 at the pharmaceutical packaging trade fair.
Reduced plastic waste
Patients can refill new drug cartridges up to six times without any loss of quality or spraying power. To prevent the Respimat from being used too often, it has a small field on the side where the number of cartridges used can be checked off. Due to the reusability of the inhaler, the end user produces up to 73% less plastic waste, when using it with several cartridges. By 2025 it should thus be possible to save 776.25 metric tons of plastic and 14,300 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Simone Schulz, Head of Factory Dortmund at Boehringer Ingelheim commented on the award: “We are very pleased that our reusable Respimat has been awarded the Pharmapack Eco-Design Award 2020. Inhalers are an essential part of disease management for people with certain lung diseases. However, they can have unfavorable consequences for the environment. Thanks to its reusability, the new Respimat has an improved environmental footprint. The Respimat also contains no greenhouse gas and therefore has a much improved CO2 footprint. Boehringer Ingelheim attaches great importance to environmental protection and the promotion of environmental awareness. We consider principles of circular economy in all future product developments.”
