From protection to sustainability: Transforming packaging for oral solid dosage forms

Sustainability has become a key emphasis in the pharmaceutical industry, with packaging play ing a vital role in product protection, patient safety, and environmental impact. This review examines sustainable packaging technologies for oral solid dosage forms (OSDs), including tablets, capsules, powders, and granules, by comparing conventional materials such as PVC/PVDC blisters, aluminium foils, glass bottles, HDPE containers, and paperboard cartons with eco-friendly alternatives like paper-based blisters, cellulose materials, starch-derived pol ymers, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Sustainable design strate gies, including lightweight packaging, material reduction, recyclable mono-material systems, and life-cycle assessment, are discussed for minimizing environmental burden while maintain ing product quality. The review also highlights pharmaceutical waste management approaches, including recycling, solvent recovery, wastewater treatment, and medicine take-back programs. Review addresses challenges including regulatory requirements, high costs, limited recycling infrastructure, and biodegradable material limitations, while exploring future opportunities through artificial intelligence, continuous manufacturing, renewable energy, circular economy principles, and evolving environmental regulations.