The Syreen pre-filled syringe concept by Cambridge Consultants is a “green” design intended to cut material waste associated with traditional syringe development and manufacturing. Instead of glass, Syreen syringes are made with COP (cyclic olefin polymer) plastic, which has enabled Cambridge Consultants to eliminate secondary packaging, a medical device first. The syringes clip together, nesting in a pack while the COP design doubles as the outer shell of the packaging itself, thus eliminating the need for wasteful fillers such as cardboard and Styrofoam, reducing the packaging weight by 30% and volume by 50% from today’s standard packaging. United States healthcare facilities generate 6,600 tons of waste per day, according to Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, equaling well over 2 million tons per year.

“We found that typical glass syringes use many materials from all over the world and that shipping costs are egregious due to inefficiencies in packaging,” says Phil Lever, commercial director, drug delivery devices for Cambridge Consultants. “This marriage of economy and ecology shows that medical device companies will likely see competitive benefits by taking sustainability seriously.”

Use of a Syreen syringe involves the following: unclip prefilled syringe and put it against desired area on the skin; after delivery and with a simple snap, the user ejects the needle into the sharps bin allowing the user to potentially recycle the plastic capsule. Other features ensure safety: the COP plastic syringe has a curved surface over the needle that, while keeping the syringe from rolling and reducing needle-stick accidents, also ensures overall stability and depth control during injection. Secondly, the design insures that, with separated plunger and stopper, it is impossible to take in blood or other contaminants, reducing the risk of cross infection.

Cambridge Consultants is currently seeking to develop the Syreen concept with large pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical packaging companies.