Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves: Reduce Waste & Impact
- Medical waste,including drug packaging,single-use tools,masks and gloves,is a major contributor to the healthcare industry's carbon footprint.
- The World Health Organization reported that during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 18,000 tons of gloves and 3,000 tons of masks were shipped...
- Julie Miller, MS, presented findings on biodegradable nitrile gloves at the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology.
Reduce the medical industry’s carbon footprint with biodegradable nitrile gloves. Learn how they perform compared to standard gloves,offering a viable eco-pleasant alternative.Medical waste, including gloves, substantially impacts the habitat, but these innovative gloves break down naturally. studies show these biodegradable options meet essential quality standards while providing similar comfort and user confidence. News Directory 3 recognizes the importance of sustainable practices in healthcare. discover the potential of these gloves to revolutionize waste management.Discover what’s next …
Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves Offer Eco-Friendly Medical Option
Medical waste,including drug packaging,single-use tools,masks and gloves,is a major contributor to the healthcare industry’s carbon footprint. According to one study, a year’s worth of glove use by a dozen doctors produces roughly 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to running a gasoline-powered car for five years.
The World Health Organization reported that during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 18,000 tons of gloves and 3,000 tons of masks were shipped to African medical facilities alone. This figure excludes waste from the general public.
Julie Miller, MS, presented findings on biodegradable nitrile gloves at the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology. She said the ASTM International D6319-19 standard for nitrile gloves specifies:
- An acceptable quality limit of 2.5 pinholes per batch.
- Sizing from extra small to extra large, with guidelines for minimum thickness, length and width.
- A minimum physical requirement of 14 megapascals (MPa) and 500% elongation instantly after manufacturing.
- A minimum physical requirement of 14 MPa and 400% elongation after six months.
ASTM standards dictate that biodegradable gloves must break down microbially in an anaerobic environment, such as a landfill, over months or years, not centuries, Miller noted.
Miller compared the thickness,tensile strength,elongation and modulus of biodegradable gloves with standard nitrile gloves. the tests included new gloves and gloves aged in an oven to simulate six months of aging.
New biodegradable gloves had a thickness of 0.055 mm, a tensile stress level of 34.6 MPa, and survived 671% elongation. Standard gloves were also 0.055 mm thick, with a tensile strength of 30.8 MPa and 708% elongation.
Among aged gloves, the biodegradable nitrile gloves performed slightly better than the standard gloves: 0.054 mm vs. 0.055 mm in thickness, 36.7 MPa vs. 25.2 MPa in tensile stress, and 671% vs. 653% elongation.
In a peg test, users wearing biodegradable gloves performed slightly better than those wearing standard gloves, placing 15.1 pegs compared to 14.3 pegs. Bare-handed,the biodegradable glove group placed 16 pegs compared to 14.8 in the standard group.
Qualitative testing revealed that users had greater confidence in the biodegradable gloves (90% vs. 86%), though they were harder to smooth or remove (90% vs.94%) and made taping more tough (71.7% vs. 80% completion rate).Though, more people liked their fit (76.7% vs. 68%) and found them comfortable (81.7% vs. 78%).
The biodegradable gloves were more expensive, costing $0.157 per patient per day per pair compared to $0.132 for standard gloves.
Miller noted that while she has seen biodegradable gloves in some medical offices, widespread adoption is lacking.
“The product is there,” Miller said. “The manufacturers, I’m sure, would love to have some interest and, given what I saw in the testing, they’re pretty comparable in performance and user likability - it’s worth a shot.”
What’s next
More research and adoption could lead to a significant reduction in the medical industry’s environmental impact through wider use of biodegradable nitrile gloves.