UPM-Biofore-Magazine-2-2017-ENG

Surgical masks and other disposable products used in the operation theatre are always clean, which reduces the risk of infection.

products thereby reducing the amount of waste.

Björn Carlzon

Since recycling is not an option in the case of hygiene andmedical products, alternate solutions have to be found. “There are different ways to take care of hospital waste. Inmany cases, it is burnt in thermal plants and the released energy can be re-used for purposes such as heating,” Carlzon explains. “We are also actively minimizing the environmental impact related to our products. With procedure trays, for example, we can put all single-use materials required for a surgical procedure in one package, significantly reducing the packaging material and carbon footprint." As medical science continues to evolve, the scope for the use of environmentally sound bio-based products is getting vaster. While new technologies like surgical robots may grab headlines, the role of more commonplace materials like pulp cannot be understated in winning the war on disease.

Focusing on sustainability A report by Grand View Research expects the global medical disposable market to touch USD 330 billion by 2024. In the UK, moulded pulp products have been extensively tested and used by the National Health Service as part of their ‘Deep Clean’ project. The rate of infection control displayed by using these products has led to their adoption in other countries as well. While the use of single-use products is clearly helping bring down infection rates, concerns have been raised about the impact of disposal. However, pulp is a wood-based, recyclable and biodegradable rawmaterial, and technologies have been created to help reprocess pulp-based items into new

control easier and contributes to reduced contamination risks,” Carlzon says. It is not just hospitals and healthcare facilities that depend on single-use pulp-based products. They are very much a part of our day-to-day lives. For instance, good hand hygiene is a critical precaution in helping to fight infections at home and work. Rinsing hands with water is not enough – a thorough drying is needed to ensure that microbes are not spread around. Absorbent, single-use paper towels offer optimumhand and washroomhygiene. This is why tissue products made from pulp, such as hand towels, kitchen rolls and toilet paper, play a critical role in improving health and hygiene.

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