From Hospital Waste to New Resources: How Healthcare Can Become Circular

Healthcare is, much like the food industry, exempt from legal requirements regarding recycling. Furthermore, strict regulations dictate that medical devices may not be manufactured from recycled plastic. This means we cannot create completely closed loops, yet the potential for using the plastic in other products is significant.

Successful Sorting on the Hospital Floor

Within the project, which was funded by Climate Leading Process Industry and Region Skåne, staff at six wards at Lund University Hospital were given the opportunity to test the sorting of risk-free plastic. The result was impressive: as much as 98 per cent of the plastic was sorted correctly. This plastic was subsequently mechanically recycled and transformed into new containers for sharp objects.

"It is a shame that such high-quality plastic is simply incinerated. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated how vulnerable the supply of healthcare products is. If we recycle the plastic into other products, we can save virgin raw materials for the most critical needs in a crisis situation," says Jamilla Nilsson, Project Manager at RISE.

Daily Challenges and Design for the Future

Despite the commitment of the staff, practical obstacles remain. A lack of space in utility rooms makes it difficult to accommodate more sorting bins. Additionally, many products are not designed to be recycled. The project has therefore developed concrete recommendations for future product design:

• Reduce the number of different types of plastic in the same product. If multiple materials are required, enable simple and efficient separation.
• Avoid printing directly onto the product.
• Avoid unnecessary colouring.
• Be sparing with paper labels, which complicate the recycling process.

Fear and Regulations Hampering Progress

Although the project has gained significant national attention, a major hurdle remains: uncertainty within the recycling industry. There is a widespread fear of infection risk, despite healthcare's rigorous risk assessments and procedures for separating hazardous waste.

"At the moment, it is difficult to find recipients for the plastic. We need to disseminate knowledge to recyclers regarding how safe the handling actually is. However, we also need increased demand for recycled plastic through, for example, amended regulations that both mandate recycling and make it possible in the future to use recycled materials even in healthcare's own products," Jamilla Nilsson concludes.