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

Despite well-known benefits, the increasing use of single-use technology (SUT) in biopharmaceutical processes has raised concerns about the environmental impact of plastic waste. This paper provides the first bioprocessing industry example of a "closing the loop" proof of concept by implementing a circular economy model for a polycarbonate (PC) bioreactor vessel used in process development applications. Through a collaborative effort between an end user, a SUT supplier, and a resin supplier, a lab-scale study was initiated to collect, decontaminate, and mechanically recycle material from vessels after use in mammalian cell culture experiments to produce new vessels. The study demonstrates that using recycled PC reduces vessels' environmental footprint and does not adversely impact vessel extractables. Even in direct contact with cells and media, recycled PC left cell culture performance and monoclonal antibody production largely unaffected. This work paves the way for broader adoption of circular practices in the industry. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate closed-loop recycling of PC across multiple environmental indicators (e.g., climate change, resource use, water use, etc.). Benefits typically favor the closed-loop system, but sensitivity analysis indicates that variations in parameters such as recovery yield, contamination rate, means of transport, and electricity mix can erode these advantages in non-ideal settings. The paper outlines the logistics, challenges, and learnings from this program, emphasizing the need for standardized procedures and collaboration across teams to achieve sustainable SUT circularity. KEY POINTS: • Recycling bioreactor polycarbonate vessels reduces environmental footprint. • Equivalent extractables observed in virgin and recycled polycarbonate vessels. • Cell culture performance is comparable across recycled and virgin vessels.