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Overview

This organization is seeking solutions that recycle or re-use materials/textiles used in Surgical Operating Rooms (OR). Typical materials include gowns and drapes made from polypropylene or other polyolefins.

Currently, materials from the OR are sent to a landfill or are incinerated and are not reused or re-purposed. Any solutions that could reduce the amount of non-recoverable waste coming out of the OR will be of interest.

For example, solutions could include:

  • Solutions to process medically-contaminated materials in the OR
  • Improved handling, storage, and logistics which enables circular/re-use models
  • Improved sorting or separation of contaminated from non-contaminated materials
  • Consortiums and agreements between hospitals and local municipalities that enables an end-to-end circular model

 

Constraints

  • Regulatory restrictions are likely to impact the viability of some solutions in certain geographies.
  • Not all materials entered into the waste bin are medically contaminated until they enter the bin.
  • Materials can also include small quantities of other polymers, e.g., polyester, polyurethane, natural fibres (e.g., cotton, viscose), and miscellaneous inorganic content (e.g., metals, calcium carbonate).
  • Solutions related to re-useable textiles are not in-scope.

 

Desired outcome of the solution

Open to all types of partnerships, but a desired partner would be one that has a clear idea of the commercial and logistical complexity of a circular system.

Related Tech Needs

 

Photo by Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash

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