Good day Brad,
My understanding is that the fibers of the paper swell up in size as a result of contact with steam. The fibers in the paper do not shrink all the way back to their original size at the end of the sterilization cycle. Steam will not penetrate previously exposed paper as easily as it penetrates new paper. Each period at high heat causes additional oxidation in the paper, making it more brittle and more likely to loose its barrier properties. Because the properties of the packaging material change as a result of sterilization, to reuse the packaging would add unnecessary variables into the sterilization process.
One of the great advantages of a peel packaging system is the seal. Once the seal is broken or tampered with, this fact is clearly visible to everyone who handles the package, alerting them to the fact that the sterility of the item inside may be compromised. To reuse the packaging would mean we would have to counterfeit the original seal. The problems this would cause in the faith of the users - knowing the package can be opened, contaminated, and then passed off as a new product with an original seal - would breach the trust placed in an intact seal on the packaging.
The problems of cleaning the packaging (What is the best way to wash paper before reuse?), bringing it to a proper humidity level, inspecting the material for holes, stacking material for use, loosing the benefits of cut-to-fit roll packaging, etc. would still remain even if the other problems are solved. I think re-use is therefore impractical, so recycling the paper and the plastic might be the best solution from an ecological point of view.
Warm regards, Pete Bobb
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