Sabic Transforms Medical Waste Into New Materials

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The collaboration between SABIC and healthcare partners has created a circular system for non-contaminated medical plastic waste, turning it into new surgical products. Sabic will showcase its collaborations at K 2025.



#Sabic has collaborated with Zuyderland Medical Center in the Netherlands to transform medical plastic waste into new contact-sensitive packaging materials, marking a breakthrough in healthcare circularity.

Working alongside converters Coveris and ACE, plus brand owners Artivion and Mölnlycke Health Care, Sabic and its project partners have successfully proven the concept of recycling used medical plastic back into the medical materials stream through two innovative pilot projects.


Staff at Zuyderland launched a medical plastic waste collection program in June 2024 to address unmet needs and challenges of plastic waste that would otherwise be incinerated. According to the partners, the program consists of a novel collection system for non-contaminated plastic waste that has not come into contact with patients, blood, or bodily fluids.

With support from specialized transport company L'Ortye, the plastic waste was prepared and transported to Sabic to be converted into pyrolysis oil leveraging advanced recycling processes. Sabic then used this alternative feedstock to produce virgin-like certified circular polyethylene (PE) from its Trucircle portfolio.


Two successful healthcare applications

The new certified circular Trucircle has subsequently been used in two healthcare applications:


Coveris produced packaging with 25% content attributed to recycled medical waste for Artivion's guide wire used in vascular surgery.

Mölnlycke Health Care produced surgical drapes with 49% content attributed to hospital-generated plastic waste to be delivered in the ProcedurePak solution made with semi-finished product by ACE.

"We are excited about this pioneering circular business model pilot, which showcases the potential of circular plastic innovations when leading actors from across the medical ecosystem closely collaborate," said Khaled Al-Jalawi, global circular economy director at Sabic. "Non-contaminated medical plastic waste represents a valuable feedstock opportunity, and Sabic Trucircle solutions could play a major role in advancing circularity in healthcare.

Hospital celebrates results: Roel Goffin, board member at Zuyderland, said the medical center is pleased with the breakthrough after bringing together leading partners in the value chain.

Our own non-contaminated medical plastic waste has been successfully turned into new material and returned for use in our own operating rooms.

The collaboration also has academic backing from Maastricht University, which recently received an Interreg EU grant for a three-year project to drive circular transformation of health and care systems in the Meuse Rhine Region with partners including Sabic and Zuyderland.


source : Plastics Today


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