At Johnson & Johnson, we are committed to delivering the highest quality products for patients, doctors and customers, while also working to improve the environmental performance of our product portfolio.
We strive to advance circular solutions and recycling programs to keep materials in use longer, reduce environmental impact and support a more sustainable healthcare sector.
Examples include:
Packaging
We replaced the plastic trays in the secondary packaging used in many of our immunology self-injectable device lines with a tray made of a fiber-based material. These trays were a significant breakthrough in pharmaceutical packaging, as they can be disposed of through regular cardboard recycling waste streams, available in most countries.
Products
Closing the loop on medical devices
To help reduce medical waste, we are working with hundreds of hospitals in EMEA, New Zealand, Australia and the U.S. to recycle components from select single-use medical devices and packaging. The program allows hospitals to recycle specific metal and plastic components from certain single-use instruments and in some locations, to recycle suture aluminum foil packaging.
Taking back pharmaceutical devices
Our Safe Returns program for home-administered Innovative Medicine products allows patients to return their used devices in a convenient paper envelope. The program is available in the U.S. and multiple countries in Europe. We’ve built a machine in Switzerland to disassemble devices collected through Safe Returns in Europe and work with partners to recycle select plastic and steel materials from these disassembled devices.