#Changemaker: Turning grass into pharmaceutical packaging
Do you know how long it takes a tree to grow?
To answer this question precisely, you have to consider various factors such as climate or the tree species, but generally, it takes a tree 10 to 40 years to reach maturity.
At Pharmapack Europe, we had the pleasure of meeting Körber, a company that won last year’s Pharmapack Sustainability Initiative award for its pharmaceutical packaging made of grass paper.
Grass paper is a 100% biodegradable raw material and requires only half of the cellulose needed for the paperboard. This saves wood and reduces the need for trees; moreover, grass only takes 10-14 days to grow!
Turning wood into paper requires enormous amounts of water, chemicals, and energy. Grass paper production requires no chemicals, saves energy and water, and causes 95% fewer CO2 emissions.
Oh, we almost forgot! Körber won the Sustainability initiative award again this year thanks to its recyclable, plastic-free COVID-19 rapid test made from cardboard nanomaterial.
Well done Körber!