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Health care industry is one of the largest producers of waste across the globe with a large quantity being produced annually. Hospitals operate with a large amount of disposables and equipment to ensure that the spread of diseases is not possible. Normally, most of these disposables have been manufactured using plastics, which are a nuisance to the environment.
But, there is a shift in focus towards the use of environment friendly products such as molded pulp tray for production of hospital disposables and medical equipment. Throughout this article, you will discover everything about molded pulp, its advantages, and its uses in the sphere of healthcare.
Benefits of Molded Pulp
Utilizing molded pulp offers numerous advantages for manufacturers of hospital disposables and medical equipment:
Lightweight:Molded pulp products are lightweight yet durable. This helps to reduce shipping costs for manufacturers and makes the products easier for staff to transport and use.PulpUtilizing molded pulp offers numerous advantages for manufacturers of hospital disposables and medical equipment:
Sustainability:Molded pulp is manufactured from recycled materials and is fully recyclable or compostable. This allows hospitals to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact.
Cost-effectiveness:Molded pulp is an affordable material, especially when produced in bulk. The raw materials and manufacturing process are inexpensive compared to plastic. This allows manufacturers to create cost-effective disposables and medical supplies.
Customizability:Pulp can be molded into a wide variety of shapes, colors and textures. Manufacturers can customize products for specific applications.
Performance:With the addition of coatings and treatments, molded pulp products can be made liquid-resistant, greaseproof and antimicrobial. This allows their use in food service and medical applications.
Safety:Molded pulp does not contain chemicals, BPAs or toxins. This makes it safe for use in healthcare and food service industries. The material is also biodegradable and does not linger in the environment.
Applications in Hospitals and Healthcare
There is a vast range of disposable hospital supplies and medical equipment that can be manufactured using sustainable molded pulp. Here are some of the top applications:
Food Service Items
Molded pulp is an ideal material for manufacturing single-use food service items used in hospital cafeterias and patient rooms. These include plates, bowls, cups, trays and clamshell containers. Pulp can be molded into any shape and sized to suit the application. The molded pulp packaging is greaseproof and safe for food contact.
Food service items made from molded pulp are lightweight, preventing strain on food service staff. They are heat resistant allowing use in warming appliances. The items can simply be disposed of after use, eliminating the need for dishwashing. As the items are compostable, hospitals can reduce waste sent to landfills.
Medical Trays and Totes
Healthcare staff use medical trays and totes to organize surgical instruments, medical devices and other supplies. Molded pulp is the perfect material for manufacturing sturdy, disposable trays and totes to replace reusable plastic versions.
Customized molded pulp trays can be produced to fit the required instruments with molded compartments, slots and dividers. This allows efficient organization and sterilization. Antimicrobial coatings can be added to pulp tote and tray surfaces. You can simply dispose of the trays and totes after use, increasing efficiency in the hospital.
Bedpans and Urinals
Patient bedpans and urinals need to be disposable to prevent infections. Molded pulp is an ideal material for manufacturing these disposable items. Pulp molded products can be easily cleaned and formed into ergonomic shapes for comfort. The surface of the pulp can be made smooth and non-porous for easy cleaning.
Disposable pulp bedpans and urinals are more economical than reusable plastic versions which need frequent replacing due to cracks and stains over time. They are also more environmentally friendly.Washbasins and Emesis Basins
Hospitals utilize portable and disposable washbasins for bed bathing patients and emesis basins for patient vomiting. Molded pulp is suitable for manufacturing these lightweight basins which need to be disposable for infection control.
Pulp can be molded into convenient basin shapes with a wide, steady base and ergonomic edges. The surface can be waterproofed. The basins are economical to produce and can be disposed of after single use.
Masks, Gowns and Headwear
Patient and staff gowns, masks and headwear need to be disposable in clinical settings to prevent contamination. Molded pulp offers a sustainable material for producing these disposable supplies.
Smooth, non-porous pulp can be shaped into masks to provide breathability and filtration. Pulp gowns and hats can be produced to offer full protective coverage, while being lightweight and breathable. Healthcare providers can dispose of these supplies after use while being environmentally responsible.
Packaging for Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals
Molded pulp offers protective and sustainable packaging for medical devices like syringes and instruments. Customized slots and compartments can be molded to securely hold items in place. Pulp is also suitable for pharmaceutical packaging like pulp moulding trays and blister packs.
The material provides cushioning to prevent damage. Being recyclable and compostable, pulp packaging reduces waste streams for medical manufacturers. Several leading medical device and pharmaceutical companies have adopted molded pulp packaging.
The Manufacturing Process
Producing molded pulp follows a simple process:
- Pulping– Recycled paper and cardboard are mixed with water to form a pulp slurry.
- Molding– The pulp is transferred to temperature-controlled molds and pressed into shape.
- Drying– The molded pulp goes through heating chambers to remove moisture and dry into a rigid form.
- Finishing– The dried pulp products may be treated with coatings for waterproofing, strength and antimicrobial properties.
- Packaging– The finished molded pulp products are packaged for shipment to hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Manufacturers can produce a high volume of products through this streamlined and automated process. The raw materials are inexpensive, and the process uses minimal energy compared to plastic production.
Conclusion
As we have discovered, molded pulp is an environmentally friendly and cheap material option for most of the hospital consumables and some of the medical equipment. It replaces the conventional plastics which are very much hazardous to the environment and gives an opportunity to the healthcare organizations to give less harm to the environment.
Molded pulp has been on high demand because of its sustainability, customizability, and performance making it common in healthcare facilities. Food service items, medical trays, PPE and medical packaging are now being made out of recycled pulp. Molded pulp disposables are being used in hospitals across the globe to achieve the goal of infection prevention and control sustainably.
The process of manufacturing molded pulp is quite simple and cheap to execute. Since more manufacturers are realizing the benefits of molded pulp, it is expected that many more hospital disposables and medical products will be made sustainably with this material in the near future. Contact BonitoPak to get a free quote for custom molded pulp packaging for your hospital or healthcare facility needs.