THE NEW SHIPPING PACKAGING FOR THE LEECHES!
Up to now, we have transported our leeches to the therapist in cloth bags, foam flakes and EPS (polystyrene, a petroleum product) outer packaging. This has resulted in a large amount of plastic waste distributed among our customers. EPS is very light, has good insulation, but has a large volume. The same applies to foam flakes. Our customers suggested finding another better type of packaging and we have gladly obliged. After all, 80% of customers want sustainable production methods, decent working conditions and less packaging waste.
We have been looking for years for packaging that meets certain requirements. It must be stable, the leeches must not come “under pressure”. It must have good insulation so that the creatures are not exposed to the occasionally severe temperature fluctuations (in winter below freezing, and in summer up to over 30°C in the transport vehicle). As the leeches have to be kept moist, the packaging must not deteriorate as a result of moisture. Good insulation must also be ensured. And it should not produce too much (plastic) waste.
Together with a packaging manufacturer, we have developed a type of packaging that largely meets our requirements.
We have kept the cloth bags. They are autoclaved before use to free them from possible microbial contamination.
The leeches are embedded in the cloth bag with a lining of sheep’s wool, which is placed in a light bag. The bag is made of polypropylene (PP) and is sealed all around (see picture below). We are currently working on saving even this small amount of plastic. We moisten small separate pieces of sheep’s wool with water irradiated with UV light to provide the required moist environment. On very hot summer days, we also add small ice packs to the leeches to keep the temperature within reasonable limits.
The outer packaging is made of thin cardboard, which is provided with a wafer-thin silicone layer on the inside, which makes the cardboard moisture-resistant. It is stable enough to protect the leeches from mechanical damage during transportation. At the end of the journey, it can be unfolded and disposed of in the waste paper bin. In addition, information on the content can be printed or stuck on the outer packaging.
Yes, the new packaging is more expensive than the old one. However, feedback from our clients has been overwhelmingly positive as people in the leech community are clearly very environmentally and resource-conscious. We will gradually switch over to the new packaging, but for the time being we are still sending both.
