[Greenhouse gas equivalents and water consumption of product sample packaging in dermatology].

Background: Sampling refers to the free supply of small product samples. In this process, the packaging can be disproportionate to the contents leading to raw material consumption and, in the case of poor recyclability, environmental pollution.

Objective: In this article, calculations regarding the ratio between packaging and product weight for commonly used types of packaging (sachet, tube, jar) of dermatological product samples are presented. The usefulness of sampling is discussed considering environmental and economic criteria.

Material and methods: A total of 43 dermatological product samples from different manufacturers were manually weighed and classified. Packaging was disassembled into its structural components. The proportional weights or the weight of the bottle/tube body were calculated with database values for the respective material in terms of greenhouse gas equivalents (CO2eq) and freshwater consumption. Subsequently, a total sum for the impact of each packaging was formed. Only the material and manufacturing process were considered because there were no valid data available for transport, utilization, and end of life (EoL) impacts.

Results: The smallest and lightest product sample (1.24 g) generated ca. 15 g CO2eq and approximately 700 ml of freshwater consumption. The largest and heaviest product sample (37 g) generated 53 g CO2eq and 5.78 l of freshwater consumption. Assuming an annual distribution of 10 million units of the 43 product samples examined here, ca. 8000 t of CO2eq are produced by the packaging alone. Additionally, 880,000,000 l of water are used and approximately 2300 t of packaging waste are generated.

Discussion: Sampling shows an unfavorable ratio between CO2eq/water consumption and utility, especially in comparison to larger units of packaging. Millions of product samples are distributed annually in doctor's practices, hospitals and pharmacies, particularly in dermatology. The practice of sampling should be questioned both ecologically and economically.