Aimed at decreasing the environmental impact of shipping vaccines and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, Vericool has developed a 100% recyclable and compostable shipping cooler.
Most temperature-controlled packaging is made using styrofoam, which isn't biodegradable and can take centuries to break down. Vericool's solution uses starch-based insulation material and keeps products cold from packaging to receipt, maintaining temperatures of -20°C (-4°F) to -70°C (-94°F) for up to 96 hours. The California-based company's initial shippers — set to be available in January 2021 — can hold 8 to 16 syringe dosages, with packaging for bulk shipments under design.
The deluge of shipping materials started long before the coronavirus even considered jumping from bats to humans, but pandemic-induced online shopping has only escalated the problem. Even in the rush of vaccine distribution, Vericool proves we can take the environment into consideration. Which other elements of shipping and distribution could use a shot of innovation? Saving our planet is no less urgent.
(Side note: Vericool isn't just purpose-driven when it comes to sustainability. Its team includes many formerly incarcerated people, and the company is focused on reducing prison recidivism and providing second chances to those who need it 🙌)
