Mass Balanced, Bio-based & Recycled Polymers for Healthcare

Pierre Fischer

Healthcare Segment Leader

Ultrapolymers DACH

Pierre Fischer, Ultrapolymers Healthcare Segment Leader, is preparing for Compamed in Düsseldorf from November 17th to 20th. Meet Pierre and the team in Hall 8b, Stand H08, to discuss your healthcare polymer projects and explore sustainability solutions, including mass balance and biobased materials. In this article, Pierre discusses challenges and opportunities shaping healthcare polymers beyond 2025.

Healthcare, Polymers and Sustainability: Navigating the options, challenges, and market shifts in 2025

The polymers and healthcare landscape are in significant flux. The industry must strike a balance between cost, innovation, and sustainability without compromising quality or regulatory approval. With PFAS bans and a shift from certain materials, how do you choose the best path? How do supply chain and market pressures influence these choices?

This article focuses on sustainability, a key topic in discussions with designers and manufacturers, yet one that the healthcare industry continues to struggle with addressing. 

Sustainability: Closing the Loop, Mass Balance and Bio-based Trade-offs

Polymer sustainability starts with design. Create products for sustainability, reuse, or recycling. Do this together with material selection. The industry is working to use recycled materials in medical applications. This is a challenge: regulatory approvals limit use in many cases. However, for applications such as transport components, PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) or PIR (Post-Industrial Recycled) grades can be suitable.

Another area that has ebbed and flowed over the years is the closed loop, often demonstrated through take-back schemes. These are typically seen as a way to maintain control over materials and quality; however, it has many costs and have yet to become the standard. The way we've seen the industry progress is by adopting two options: Mass Balance (also known as bio-attribution) and bio-based materials. These two options enable a significant reduction in carbon footprint while still maintaining the quality that the Healthcare Industry is known for.

Ultrapolymers is pleased to offer mass balance solutions from LyondellBasell, INEOS Styrolution, and Polyplastics for the healthcare industry and is proud to work with Biovox to supply their biobased and Biodegradable polymers for a broad range of applications. 

Distributors and material specialists must maintain open dialogue with clients to identify compliant materials without sacrificing performance. In healthcare and other high-compliance sectors, support from design to production is essential. Ultrapolymers works with many technical polymer manufacturers and can help customers turn this challenge into growth.

Here are five clear takeaways to guide your healthcare product development:

• Define Application Needs Early - Understand the product’s function, sterilisation method, and environmental conditions. This ensures that materials meet performance and regulatory requirements from the start, thereby avoiding the need to redo the work in the future.
• Design for Recyclability - If your part is likely to be recycled, please design it with this in mind from the outset. Consider the use of mono-materials, minimise additives, and design for disassembly. These choices simplify recycling and support circularity.
• Select Certified Medical-Grade Materials - I discussed application demands earlier; this should also include regulatory approvals. Please select polymers that are certified to ISO 10993 or USP Class VI standards. Keep an eye out for regulatory trends and look to avoid substances under regulatory scrutiny to ensure long-term stability.
• Explore sustainable material options - Consider if Mass Balance, Biobased, PCR, or PIR grades fit your needs. Use recycled materials only in non-critical applications to strike a balance between sustainability and compliance.
• Collaborate with Experts Early - Engage polymer specialists as early as possible. At Ultrapolymers, we are driven by helping you find the right solution. With our years of polymer experience, design expertise, simulation tools (Moldflow, FEA), regulatory knowledge, and practical process experience, we save time and reduce risk in the long term.

Sustainability and regulatory compliance are connected. Navigating these challenges requires partnership and clear communication, not just products. Ultrapolymers provides a wide range of polymer options, guidance, and global support. If you need to cut costs, reduce your carbon footprint, prepare for PFAS bans, or source grades globally, Ultrapolymers and our sister companies will help you find the solution you need.

Let's Meet at Compamed

Join us at Compamed in Hall 8b, Stand H08, to connect with our team. If you are unable to attend, please contact us with any questions you may have.

Reach out to Pierre with your questions:

Pierre Fischer

Healthcare Segment Leader

Ultrapolymers DACH