Olympus Partners with DuPont to Launch Eco-Friendly Tyvek Medical Packaging

Olympus and DuPont Partner to Roll Out CarbonReduced Tyvek Packaging

The Olympus corporation, a leading medtech company dedicated to making individuals lives safer, healthier, and satisfying, has entered a partnership with DuPont de Nemours, Inc. DuPont is a popular face of sustainable innovation and materials science based in the U.S., driving awareness of environmentally responsible packaging solutions to Olympus single-use pipeline of endotherapeutic devices. The devices are used globally. DuPont Tyvek signals this effort with a renewable attribution. Following this, Olympus will begin to engage in the sterile packaging of the above 100 single-use devices, effective in 2026.

Now, as part of an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) smart strategy, Olympus has advocated for a circular economy and carbon neutral society as a key area and is dedicated to gaining traction in the circular economy through product stewardship.

Phases of the partnership

In the first phase of this partnership, Olympus will announce the use of DuPont Tyvek in medical device packaging, with renewable attribution, at its manufacturing services/facilities in Vietnam and Japan, encompassing over 100 single-use device categories and consisting of therapeutic and sampling devices for respiratory endoscopes and GI. The Tyvek with renewable attribution implements a qualified mass balance concept to incorporate renewable feedstocks, reduce carbon emissions, and decrease reliance on fossil fuels in healthcare packaging, all while maintaining regulatory compliance and performance.

This turning sides is predicted to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated one-third of the collective carbon presence of Tyvek. Olympus will naturally extend its efforts to the integrated product lines and manufacturing sites in certain phases. With this packaging enhancement, Olympus is elevating its pathway to carbon neutrality and helping medtech devices/tech packaging with a sustainable approach.

The mass balance concept is a widely used model to determine raw materials outputs and inputs. It is designed to integrate with the existing production system, where both non-certified and certified feedstocks are combined.

Views and comments from the company leaders

The executive officer and chief technology officer at Olympus, Syed Naveed, said,

“As a leading medtech company, we address our duty to advance sustainability without sacrificing safety and trust that healthcare professional and patients expects from us. The discovery of Tyvek with renewable attributes in our packaging represents a significant step in reducing our carbon footprint. Alongside, we promise the safety and integrity of our medical devices.”

David Domnisch, Vice President and General Manager at DuPont, said, “We are delighted to work with Olympus and will help to enhance sustainability in the healthcare market.”