Health care plastics: untapped feedstock, untapped business opportunity

Debunking the top three myths recyclers have regarding plastics from the health care sector.

August 8, 2017
Alison Bryant

Plastics

Worldwide, only 14 percent of plastic is collected for recycling, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation publication "The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing Action." In the health care segment, the rate is even lower. The lack of universal standards and a complex value chain have diminished the perception of health care plastics as a viable recycling feedstock. However, for entrepreneurial and innovative recyclers, the health care industry represents one of the last untapped sources of high-quality recyclable plastics.

If you’ve ever spent any time in a hospital, you probably noticed the massive amount of materials being tossed into trash bins. Sterilization wrap, gowns, irrigation bottles, IV bags, basins, pitchers, trays and rigid and flexible packaging materials are, for the most part, used once and then thrown away. According to data as reported in a 2010 article published by Slate, U.S. hospitals generate 6 million tons of waste per year, with plastics accounting for up to one-quarter of that total. Most of that plastic ends up in landfills or in incinerators despite that 85 percent of it is nonhazardous and free from patient contact and contamination.

Understanding the opportunity

Given the large amount of waste they generate, hospitals have a vested interest in recycling. Recycling helps hospitals reduce waste management costs and, in some cases, can even be a source of revenue. They also see recycling programs as enhancing employee engagement, greening the supply chain and reducing the organization’s carbon footprint as part of their overall sustainability goals. By their very nature, hospitals are committed to improving population health in the communities they serve and seek to minimize their environmental impacts by diverting plastic from landfill and incineration. And those hospitals with religious affiliations may see taking care the world as part of their core mission.

Recyclers also stand to reap multiple benefits from recycling health care plastics. In most markets around the country, few (if any) recyclers are working to extract these rich, untapped materials from clinical settings. Because disposal of these materials represents a significant cost to hospitals, a solution that reduces that cost while offering an environmentally responsible alternative to landfill or incineration represents a very desirable alternative to current practices, and hospitals are clamoring for recyclers to partner with.

Health care plastics often are made of high-quality materials, a requirement for use in medical applications, and are designed for extremely specific uses. This results in very little variance in key characteristics, such as melt flow, viscosity and tensile strength, therefore enhancing the properties and value of resins and products manufactured from them. These plastics are generated continuously with very little change in composition over time, meaning they are a reliable, high-quality stream coming from willing and eager providers. The result? A golden opportunity for recyclers with the insight to see the possibilities.

As the health care industry continues to grow alongside an aging population, which recyclers will step up to partner with their local hospital systems to develop the channels, divert the materials and establish new revenue streams? Connecting supply and demand not only helps create a closed-loop system (make, use, return) that achieves better environmental outcomes, but it also makes good business sense.

Busting the myths around health care plastics

To help recyclers embrace the possibilities that plastics from health care settings hold, we examine three popular myths that surround this material.

Myth No. 1: the ick factor. A common misconception about health care plastics is that all of it is inherently dangerous as a result of contact with biohazardous materials, medications and other unsafe materials. In reality, this stream is cleaner than municipal waste—after their single uses, most health care plastics are disposed of before the patient even enters the room. Years ago, postconsumer plastics faced the same myth; milk jugs and soda bottles were thought to be smelly, moldy and full of bacteria from human contact. Yet today, these materials are recycled without another thought. By using proper collection procedures, it’s possible to greatly reduce and even eliminate the potential for contamination. Most hospitals are committed to training their staffs on proper sorting and segregation and are very open to recyclers that are willing to provide feedback and open dialogue to make health care plastic recycling a reality.

“A strong partnership and open communication between hospitals and recyclers are key,” says Dan Constant, president of Sustainable Solutions LLC, Gainesville, Georgia, and a consultant to Halyard Health’s Blue Renew program. “Understanding the importance of training and who is accountable for each step in the process greatly diminishes potential contamination issues.”

Common health care plastics

A brief overview of some of the most common health care plastics follows:

Sterilization wrap – Commonly referred to as “blue wrap,” sterilization wrap is a material that protects and contains surgical instruments through the sterilization (autoclave) process and prevents the instruments from becoming contaminated prior to use. It often is removed from the instruments during procedure room setup and may be collected before the patient even enters the room, thereby ensuring a supply of material that is free of contaminants. It is made from polypropylene (PP) and is often recycled with other No. 5 materials. Notably, resins derived from sterilization wrap have a high melt flow. Compounders that are familiar with the material use it to elevate the melt flow in their compounds, thereby enhancing the value of their resin products.

Irrigation bottles – Irrigation bottles for saline solutions and sterile water also are commonly used in operating rooms. These bottles are easy to drain and collect for recycling. They are most often made from PP, which can be recycled with other No. 5 materials. Some saline bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which may be recycled with other No. 1 materials, or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which may be recycled with other No. 2 materials.

Basins, pitchers, trays – Rigid colored and opaque plastic containers such as water pitchers and patient care basins and trays are typically made from polypropylene (PP) and may be recycled with other #5 materials.

Rigid packaging materials – Rigid colored and opaque plastic packaging trays may be made from PP, HDPE or polystyrene (PS, No. 6) plastics. Rigid, clear packaging trays used in health care typically are made of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG, No. 7) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE, No. 1).

Tyvek – Tyvek is a common material used in sterile barrier packaging, typically as part of a chevron peel pouch or a lid on a rigid tray. Tyvek is made from HDPE and may be recyclable with other No. 2 materials, depending on the recycling process. It can be difficult to visually differentiate Tyvek from paper. Both have a similar appearance; however, long intertwined fibers can be seen in Tyvek material when a light source is placed behind the material. Also, paper tears easily while Tyvek is very difficult to tear.

Flexible clear film packaging – Clear film packaging includes shrink wrap, stretch film, thermoform film packaging and plastic bags and usually is found as secondary and tertiary packaging for health care products. Some clear film packaging is made from polyethylene (PE) and may be recycled with No. 2 materials. Other film packaging is comprised of multilayer laminates, often including layers of nylon and other materials, that are a challenge for most recyclers to manage as component layers are not separable.

Myth No. 2: The quantity isn’t there. While a single hospital may not generate a profitable volume of material for a recycler, many hospitals are part of larger health care systems that are very interested in working together to collect sufficient volumes to make recycling economically viable. Recyclers should look to accumulate material across multiple hospitals, whether by health care system or geography, to achieve desired quantities. Studies such as the one conducted at Stanford Healthcare (See www.hprc.org/stanford-pilot-study.) have demonstrated that the quantity is there—it’s the collection that can be the challenge. However, recyclers and other service providers (document destruction services, paper recyclers, linen companies and sheltered workforce programs, such as those offered by Goodwill) already are transporting materials to and from hospitals and have logistics in place to aggregate the volume needed for a health care plastics recycling program to make good business sense. Working with these vendors to set up a backhaul system can be the key to unlocking a successful collection program at scale.

“Health care plastics are the last large, untapped material stream with great potential for recyclers, compounders and OEMs,” says Robert Render, commercial manager for Ravago Recycling Group. Ravago Manufacturing’s U.S. headquarters are based in Orlando, Florida. “We have to overcome the challenges particular of concentrating volume much like we did with postconsumer collections,” he continues. “It can be done.”

Myth #3: There is no end market. Health care plastics lend themselves to numerous markets. High quality polypropylene (PP) always is in demand with compounders given its relatively high value and universal applications for blending and pelletizing. PP sterilization wrap increasingly is made into numerous finished products, including some that are sold back into hospitals.

“Through Halyard Health’s Blue Renew program, we have created BlueCON Resin, a recycled polypropylene made of 80 percent operating room waste,” says Constant. “With this new resin, we make environmentally preferred products that hospitals use every day, including garbage cans, bedpans and washbasins. Its innovative solutions like this that will go a long way in creating demand for health care plastics.”

Rigid health care plastics, such as pitchers, trays and packaging materials, readily are processed along with other postindustrial sourced materials.

Continuing the conversation

To continue the discussion around how recyclers can unlock the potential of health care plastics, the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC), in conjunction with the Washington- based Plastics Industry Association, is hosting a workshop at the 2017 Paper & Plastics Recycling Conference Wednesday, Oct. 11.

This workshop is designed to help recyclers better understand material types, quality controls and collection logistics for health care plastics and navigating the process of working with hospitals to capitalize on the millions of pounds of clean plastics available for recovery. Workshop registration is free and available at www.eventbrite.com/e/recycler-roundtable-unlocking-the-potential-of-healthcare-plastics-registration-36699799087.

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across health care, recycling and waste management industries seeking to improve recyclability of plastic products within health care. HPRC members include Baxter, BD, Cardinal Health, DuPont, Eastman Chemical Co., Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Nelipak Healthcare Packaging and Ravago Recycling Group.

Lincoln, Nebraska, hauler accused of dumping recyclables in landfill

A photo posted on Facebook is said to show a Husker Refuse Services truck dumping unprocessed material into the landfill.

August 8, 2017
Waste Today Staff

Legislation & Regulations Municipal / IC&I

A Lincoln, Nebraska, waste hauler is accused of dumping recyclables into a landfill, a report by the Lincoln Journal Star says. A photo of Husker Refuse Services surfaced showing a truck allegedly dumping recyclables collected from customers into the city landfill.

Nancy Clark, environmental health supervisor for the city’s health department, said in the report that the complaint is the first under a new recycling ordinance that prohibits trash haulers from collecting recyclables and dumping them in the landfill.

The photo was posted on a Facebook page titled Bad Business Lincoln, the report says. TJay Schejbal, an employee of Paragon Sanitation & Recycling, said he saw the truck, which showed Husker Refuse signage, while unloading his own truck at the landfill. Schejbal says in the report that there was no waste mixed in with the recyclables, causing him to believe the truck was dumping collected recyclables into the landfill.

The city will send a notice that there is a complaint to Husker Refuse, and landfill staff will watch for violations, the report says. The notification, Clark says in the report, lets the hauler know there is a violation and usually stops the issue. If it persists, the city will take further steps, including referring the case to the law department for a misdemeanor prosecution.

Aqua Metals secures second patent for AquaRefining technology

Australia approves patent for smelterless recycling of lead-acid batteries.

August 8, 2017
Recycling Today Staff

International Recycling News Nonferrous

Aqua Metals Inc., Alameda, California, has announced it has secured another patent for its AquaRefining electrochemical lead recycling equipment and processes. This second patent is from the Australian Patent Office. The first patent was issued in June 2017 by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

The name of the Australia Patent No. AU2014353227 is “Devices and Method for Smelterless Recycling of Lead Acid Batteries.” The patent was issued by the Australian Patent Office, a division of IP Australia, which is an agency of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

More than 9 million lead-acid batteries are purchased each year in Australia, according to the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative.

Aqua Metals says this second patent is among several international patents the company plans to secure in the coming months.

“This Australian patent is the second of several international patents we expect to be issued,” says Stephen Clarke, chairman and CEO of Aqua Metals. “Australia is a significant future opportunity for us given that the government is committed to recycling programs. We are proud of the efforts of our team and believe this latest achievement is yet another notable milestone in the path to commercializing our cutting-edge lead recycling technology.”

Aqua Metals says its intellectual property strategy includes planned filings for more than 20 patents, organized into several families covering “matter,” “devices” and “processes” in up to 20 different regions.

Unlike smelting, AquaRefining is a room temperature, water-based process that is nonpolluting, according to the company. These modular systems allow Aqua Metals to vastly reduce environmental impact and scale lead-acid recycling production capacity by building its own AquaRefineries and licensing the AquaRefining technology to partners. The company says this meets growing demand for lead to power new applications including stop/start automobile batteries, which complement the vehicle’s main battery, internet data centers, alternative energy applications including solar, wind and grid scale storage.

Steel output up in Mexico, Brazil

Latin America’s steelmaking leaders post double-digit output gains in the first half of 2017.

August 8, 2017
Recycling Today Staff

Ferrous International Recycling News

Mexico and Brazil, the two largest volume steelmakers in Latin America, each posted double-digit percentage steel output gains in the first half of 2017.

Figures collected and distributed by the Brussels-based World Steel Association (WorldSteel), show that while the United States managed just a 1.3 percent rise in output in the first half of 2017 compared with 2016, Mexico’s output climbed by 11.2 percent and Brazil’s production by 12.4 percent.

Brazil produced more than 16.7 million metric tons of steel from January through June 2017, up by nearly 2 million tons (12.4 percent) compared with the first half of 2016. In Mexico, meanwhile, first-half 2017 output of 10 million metric tons represented an 11 percent increase compared with the 900,000 metric tons produced in the first six months of 2016.

Argentina, Latin America’s third largest steelmaking nation, also boosted its output beyond the 1.3 percent rise of the U.S., though its 3.2 percent gain in output did not come close to matching Brazil or Mexico’s double-digit gains.

The first-half 2017 trends in nations with smaller steel output include the following:

Colombia produced 629,000 metric tons, down 1.8 percent from 2016;
Peru produced 597,000 metric tons, up 8.2 percent;
Chile produced 581,000 metric tons, down 2.3 percent;
Ecuador produced 278,000 metric tons, down 3.5 percent; and
Venezuela produced 267,000 metric tons, up 88.5 percent.

According to an analysis posted on the Hellenic Shipping News website, the growth in steel output in Brazil and Mexico occurred despite Latin America importing 13 percent more Chinese steel by volume in the first half of 2017 compared with the first six months of 2016.

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