Balancing Sustainability and Sterility: A Risk-Based Path Forward for Healthcare Packaging

February 4, 2026

Sustainable packaging policy is reshaping packaging decisions across the United States, and despite some exemptions in certain cases, healthcare packaging is increasingly affected. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, recycled content mandates, recyclability requirements, compostability standards, and chemical disclosure laws are designed to reduce waste and advance circularity. Yet for sterile medical device packaging, these policies introduce design pressures that can directly conflict with regulatory and performance requirements ensuring safety remains of paramount importance. Read FULL ARTICLE in Healthcare Packaging magazine.