Sustainable Healthcare
The First Plastic-Free Medication Cup from the Netherlands
100% plastic-free, PFAS-free and naturally biodegradable within 3 months. Made from bacterial cellulose, co-developed with healthcare institutions.
The sustainable medication cup by Plastilose is the first 100% plastic-free, PFAS-free medication cup from the Netherlands. Made from bacterial cellulose, a pure biopolymer grown by micro-organisms from Dutch sugar industry waste streams. The cup performs like plastic but fully biodegrades within 3 months in nature, leaving no microplastics or toxic residues behind.
The Problem
50 Million Plastic Medication Cups Per Year
Healthcare institutions in the Netherlands use tens of millions of plastic medication cups annually. All single-use, all incinerated. And paper alternatives almost always contain plastic coating and PFAS.
30+ Million Per Year
Hospitals and care institutions alone discard over 30 million plastic medication cups annually. That is 82,000 cups per day.
95% of Paper Cups Contain PFAS
"Sustainable" paper cups almost always contain plastic coating and PFAS, forever chemicals that accumulate in the body and never break down in the environment.
Microplastics in Patients
Every plastic cup contributes to microplastics. Recent research shows microplastics are now measurable in human blood. Healthcare must become part of the solution.
About Plastilose
We're Building the Solution
Rotterdam mentality, Delft expertise. We are Joram and Jason. Born at BlueCity Rotterdam, now producing at Biotech Campus Delft.
Our material: bacterial cellulose. A natural biopolymer grown by micro-organisms from Dutch sugar industry waste streams. It feels like plastic, but is 100% natural.
The key difference? Throw our cup in the forest, in a ditch, or in any bin, after 3 months it has completely disappeared. No microplastics, no PFAS, no toxins.
"It feels like plastic, but is sustainable"
Read our story in the AD
The Product
Our Medication Cup
A medication cup as functional as plastic, without the environmental impact. Developed for Dutch healthcare, tested for safety and sustainability.
>99%
Pure Biopolymer
Bacterial cellulose, chemically identical to plant cellulose but >99% pure. No lignin, no hemicellulose, no contaminants.
200 MPa
Stronger than PP Plastic
Tensile strength up to 200 MPa. Ideal for daily use in healthcare, compatible with pill crushers.
0
PFAS, Plastic & Microplastics
No forever chemicals, no plasticisers, no microplastics. Safe for direct medication contact. Guaranteed.
3 mo
Naturally Biodegradable
Throw it in nature, in water, or in any bin. Fully degraded within 3 months. No toxic residues.
Science
Scientifically Proven Safe
Our material has been extensively studied by independent scientists worldwide. All claims are based on peer-reviewed research.
>99%
Chemical Purity
Crystallinity of 84-93% ensures a stable molecular structure. No extractables or contaminants.
0
Reactions with Medication
FTIR spectroscopy shows: no chemical interaction between BC and medication (Jantarat et al., 2021).
GRAS
FDA Status
Recognised as "Generally Recognized as Safe" by the FDA for food contact. BC wound dressings are already on the market as medical devices.
ISO
Biocompatibility
Tested per ISO 10993: non-cytotoxic, no inflammatory response, no foreign body response. NOAEL >5,000 mg/kg/day.
121°C
Sterilisable
Compatible with autoclave (121°C), gamma radiation (25 kGy) and ethylene oxide. Structure is preserved.
3 mo
Natural Degradation
Fully degrades in nature, water or soil. No special processing required. Compatible with any waste stream.
Production Process
From Waste Stream to Medication Cup
Our circular production process at Biotech Campus Delft.
01
Fermentation
Selected micro-organisms convert sugar-rich waste streams from the Dutch sugar industry into pure bacterial cellulose. Crystallinity: 84-93%.
02
Purification
The cellulose is washed and purified to a nanofibre network with >99% purity, fully natural and suitable for medical use.
03
Shaping
The cellulose is pressed and moulded into stable medication cups. The strong nanofibre network retains shape and rigidity, even in contact with liquids.
Comparison
Honest Comparison
How does the Plastilose medication cup compare to plastic, paper and stainless steel? No marketing, just facts.
| Property | Plastilose | Plastic (PP) | Paper + Coating | Stainless Steel (Reusable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% Plastic-free | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ Coating | ✓ Yes |
| PFAS-free | ✓ Guaranteed | ✗ No | ✗ 95% contain PFAS | ✓ Yes |
| Naturally biodegradable | ✓ 3 months | ✗ Centuries | ✗ Coating persists | ~ N/A |
| No microplastics | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Medication-safe | ✓ ISO 10993 | ✓ Yes | ~ Limited | ✓ Yes |
| Sterilisable | ✓ All methods | ~ Limited | ✗ No | ✓ Autoclave |
| Disposable (no logistics) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ Wash + autoclave |
Impact
Real Impact, No Greenwashing
Concrete figures on what switching means, and why it doesn't matter which bin the cup ends up in.
65-95%
Less CO₂
Compared to plastic cups
0
Microplastics
In the environment
0
PFAS
Exposure
3 mo
Degradation
In nature
Works with Any Waste Stream
In a busy healthcare setting, it's impossible to put every cup in the right bin. With Plastilose, it doesn't matter.
Calculate Your Impact
How many medication cups does your institution use per year?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We use exclusively bacterial cellulose, a natural biopolymer with >99% purity. No plastic, no PFAS, no synthetic coatings. Unlike paper cups, which almost always contain plastic coating (and 95% contain PFAS).
No. FTIR spectroscopy studies have demonstrated that no chemical interaction occurs between bacterial cellulose and medication. The material holds GRAS status from the FDA and has been tested per ISO 10993 standards for biocompatibility.
Within 3 months, anywhere: in nature, in water, in soil, or in any waste bin. Plastic cups persist for centuries. Paper cups with coating likewise. Only Plastilose disappears completely, without microplastics or toxic residues.
Yes. Compatible with all common sterilisation methods: autoclave (121°C), gamma radiation (25 kGy) and ethylene oxide. Structure and properties are preserved after sterilisation.
Traditional medication cups are made from polypropylene (PP) plastic. "Sustainable" alternatives are often paper with plastic or paraffin coating that contains PFAS. The Plastilose medication cup is made from bacterial cellulose, a 100% natural biopolymer without any synthetic components.
There are three alternatives: (1) paper cups (usually contain plastic coating + PFAS), (2) stainless steel reusable cups (require autoclave sterilisation and logistics), (3) bacterial cellulose cups from Plastilose (disposable, fully plastic- and PFAS-free, biodegradable). Only option 3 combines disposable convenience with full sustainability.
An average Dutch hospital uses 50,000 to 300,000 medication cups per year. Care group Amstelring reported 629,000 cups per year before switching to reusable alternatives. Nationally, this amounts to tens of millions of cups per year.
Yes. We develop the cup together with healthcare institutions so it fits seamlessly into existing workflows and on standard medication trays (such as Wiegand). The goal is zero additional workload for nursing staff.
Get in touch via our contact form for a sample and personal advice. We are happy to work with forward-thinking healthcare institutions looking to make the medication round more sustainable.
The Dutch Green Deal Sustainable Care 3.0 targets 25% less waste by 2026 and full circularity by 2050. The NFU has placed medication cups on the shortlist of 22 medical disposables to tackle. The EU PPWR regulation is tightening PFAS restrictions from August 2026. Switching to Plastilose directly contributes to these goals: less plastic waste, no PFAS, and fully biodegradable material.
Scientific Evidence
View all 15 scientific sources
Safety & Biocompatibility
- Girard, V.-D. et al. (2024). In vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of bacterial cellulose. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. B, 112(10). DOI
- Hagiwara, A. et al. (2010). 28-day oral toxicity study of fermentation-derived cellulose in F344 rats. J. Toxicol. Sci., 35(3). DOI
- Costa, A.F.S. et al. (2017). A review on the toxicology and dietetic role of bacterial cellulose. Toxicol. Reports, 4. DOI
Drug Interaction
- Jantarat, C. et al. (2021). Drug release behavior of BC loaded with ibuprofen and propranolol. RSC Advances, 11(60). DOI
- Ullah, H. et al. (2016). Applications of BC in food, cosmetics and drug delivery. Cellulose, 23(4). DOI
- Abeer, M.M. et al. (2014). BC-based drug delivery systems. J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 66(8). DOI
Material & Mechanical Properties
- Gao, M. et al. (2019). Natural in situ fabrication method of functional BC. Nature Comms., 10(1). DOI
- Park, S. et al. (2010). Cellulose crystallinity index. Biotechnol. Biofuels, 3. DOI
Biodegradability
- Picheth, G.F. et al. (2017). BC in biomedical applications: A review. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 104(A). DOI
- Sathish, S. et al. (2023). Biodegradability of BC below the soil. Polym. Degrad. Stab., 216. DOI
Medical Devices & FDA
- Czaja, W.K. et al. (2007). Future prospects of microbial cellulose in biomedical applications. Biomacromolecules, 8(1). DOI
Regulation & Market
- Green Deal Sustainable Care 3.0 (Netherlands). greendealduurzamezorg.nl
- NFU Shortlist of 22 Medical Disposables. zorgvoorinnoveren.nl
- Amstelring stops using disposable medication cups (January 2026). amstelring.nl
Ready to make the medication round sustainable?
Request a free sample or get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about the possibilities for your institution.