Lab Scale Closed-Loop Recycling of Polycarbonate Bioreactors for Sustainable Process Development.

Area of Science:

• Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Sustainable Engineering
• Polymer Recycling

Background:

• Single-use technologies (SUT) in bioprocessing offer benefits but generate significant plastic waste.
• Growing environmental concerns necessitate sustainable alternatives for SUT disposal and material management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a closed-loop circular economy model for polycarbonate (PC) bioreactor vessels.
• To assess the feasibility and impact of recycling PC bioreactor vessels in biopharmaceutical process development.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative lab-scale study involving end-users, SUT suppliers, and resin suppliers.
• Collection, decontamination, and mechanical recycling of used PC bioreactor vessels.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental indicators of the closed-loop system.

Main Results:

• Recycled PC from bioreactor vessels showed a reduced environmental footprint compared to virgin material.
• Extractables from recycled PC were comparable to virgin PC, with no adverse impact on cell culture performance.
• Monoclonal antibody production remained largely unaffected when using recycled PC vessels.

Conclusions:

• Closed-loop recycling of PC bioreactor vessels is a viable strategy for sustainable biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Collaboration and standardized procedures are crucial for successful SUT circularity.
• While generally beneficial, LCA results are sensitive to parameters like recovery yield and transport logistics.