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Disposable Face Masks: Protection or Pollution?
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illions of single-use disposable face masks produced worldwide since the start of the coronavirus pandemic – the majority of which contain plastic and are non-biodegradable and for which there are scant recycling options — could create an environmental nightmare, experts warn. “Face mask pollution could lead to an environmental disaster,” summed up one headline. The World Health Organization, government officials and health experts worldwide and others have stressed the importance of wearing face masks to slow the spread of Covid-19. In some areas, use of a disposable or reusable cloth face covering is mandatory, as the virus continues to run rampant. According to various health organizations, more than 93 million cases and 2 million deaths have been reported worldwide as of mid-January 2021, just over one year after the virus was first detected in Wuhan, China. Some researchers, meantime, are warning of a worldwide “plastic pandemic” due to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as other plastic packaging materials. Environmental Science & Technology reported that mismanagement of PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a monthly estimated
By P.J. Heller
use of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves globally, is resulting in widespread environmental contamination. Streets, beaches, parks and oceans have been littered with Covid-19 waste including face masks, plastic hand-sanitizer bottles, gloves and plastic packaging. Questions have been raised about whether these plastics have gone from “protector of the public” to “polluter of the environment.” “If historical data is a reliable indicator, it can be expected that around 75 per cent of the used masks, as well as other pandemic-related waste, will end up in landfills, or floating in the seas,” according to a United Nations estimate.
“Plastic pollution was already one of the greatest threats to our planet before the coronavirus outbreak,” said Pamela CokeHamilton, director of international trade for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. “The sudden boom in the daily use of certain products to keep people safe and stop the disease is making things much worse.” Chief among the items in that boom are disposable face masks. The disposable face mask market in the United States is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 60.8 percent from 2020 to 2027, according to Grand View Research, a market research and consulting company. In Canada, one company alone is ramping up to manufacture more than 22.5 million masks a month, running its production lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Face masks play an important role in reducing virus transmission,” noted James Bokla, chief executive officer at Viva Healthcare Packaging in Toronto. “As municipalities are mandating the use of face masks in all public spaces, Viva is ramping up production of three-ply disposable face masks, in regular and children’s sizes, to over 22.5 million masks per month by early 2021. We are honored to apply our expertise in high volume manufacturing
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Disposable Face Masks: Protection or Pollution? Continued from page 1
fuel plastic substitutes. Reusable masks are available in cotton, while others towards PPE production, to help combat Covid-19, and to prepare for are offered in hemp and bamboo. Some researchers were experimenting potential future challenges with an ample and timely supply.” with creating disposable masks from agricultural waste. Disposable face masks are typically three-ply (three layers), consisting Efforts aimed at recycling disposable masks appear to be limited. of a melt-blown polymer, most commonly polypropylene, placed between One recycling effort was started in July in France, non-woven fabric, plus two elastic ear loops. A metal when Plaxtil co-founders Jean-Marc Neveu and or plastic strip is typically sewn in across the top of Olivier Civil began taking in disposable plastic-based the mask to help it conform to the shape of a face. “And as countries masks. They have since recycled more than 100,000 As the masks degrade, microplastic particles can begin to lift lockdown masks. break down further into smaller size microplastics. restrictions, billions of “We said to ourselves: it’s not possible, it’s not “When they [masks] are whole, wildlife is going to inevitable that these masks will end up either in get tangled in it or the plastic is going to be ingested. masks will be needed nature or incinerated,” Civil told international news They aren’t going to biodegrade either, although they each month globally. channel France 24. “We can recycle them; we can will break up, introducing more microplastics into the Without better do something with this material and we can renew sea and the food chain,” Laura Foster of the Marine disposal practices, their value.” Conservation Society in the UK told BBC News. The process involves isolating the masks for four “Despite millions of people being told to use an environmental days, then grinding them down and treating the small face masks, little guidance has been given on how disaster is looming.” pieces with ultraviolet light to decontaminate them. to dispose of or recycle them safely,” noted the The material is mixed with a binding material and online publication Mic. “And as countries begin then molded into plastic products, including plastic to lift lockdown restrictions, billions of masks will visors used for PPE. be needed each month globally. Without better disposal practices, an TerraCycle, a global recycling company headquartered in New Jersey, environmental disaster is looming.” offers a “Zero Waste Box” for disposable plastic-based masks, including Writing in Science of the Total Environment, researchers Oluniyi three-ply surgical masks, KN95 and N95 masks (medical waste is not O. Fadare and Elvis D. Okoffo said that “the increase in production accepted). Boxes range in size from small (11 inches by 11 inches by 20 and consumption of face mask across the world has given rise to a new environmental challenge, adding to the vast plastic and plastic particle Continued on page 4 waste in the environment . . . This new emergence of face masks as environmental litter both in the terrestrial and aquatic environment is a piece of evidence that the global pandemic has not in any way reduced the challenge of increasing plastic pollution in the environment.” Some officials are urging the public to use masks made of non-fossil
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Disposable Face Masks Continued from page 3 inches) to large (15 inches by 15 inches by 37 inches) with prices ranging from $88 to $219. No information was immediately available about how the masks were recycled. TerraCycle offers Zero Waste Boxes for a variety of other products, ranging from action figures and baby food pouches to used chewing gum, VHS tapes and pet food packaging. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in January, some companies showed off high-tech masks. One mask which featured LED lighting was touted by the company as “the world’s smartest mask.” Another company showed off a mask with a Bluetooth headset. There was no mention of whether the masks would ever be produced or what they might cost. In a recent article in The Atlantic, authors Zeynep Tufekci, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina, and Jeremy Howard, a researcher at the University of San Francisco and co-founder of the Masks4All campaign, questioned why people were not wearing better face masks, calling it “a disastrous public-health breakdown in the United States. “Even all cloth masks are not equal,” they wrote. “Construction, materials, and fit matter, and these can’t be tracked or certified with homemade masks. “Tragically, America is swamped with fraudulent medical-grade masks, some of which are only 1 percent effective,” they said. “Many masks do not have labels clearly indicating their manufacturer. Some official masktesting methods are inappropriate, including the use of far higher pressure than normal breathing exerts. No reasonable certification is available for the most useful masks generally available to the public. All of this means that everyone has to somehow figure out for themselves which masks are effective.” How many of those masks might end up on the street, on a beach, in the trash or elsewhere was the question.
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OCR Report on HIPAA Privacy and Security Reveals Low Compliance
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ompliance with patient privacy regulation among audited covered entities and their business associates is woefully deficient, according to 2016-2017 HIPAA Audits Industry Report, released on January 7 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The report’s findings show that a mere 2% of the 166 covered entities audited fully met the HIPAA requirements, and two-thirds failed to make efforts, or made minimal or negligible efforts to comply.
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UV-C Light is Effective for Killing COVID-19 on N95s, Study Demonstrates
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ermatology researchers at Henry Ford Health System, in collaboration with a team at the University of Michigan, have demonstrated that certain N95 respirators tainted with COVID-19 can be effectively and safely decontaminated for reuse using ultraviolet-C light (UV-C), Science Daily reports. The team researchers wanted to see if phototherapy -- a type of medical treatment used for treating certain skin conditions -- could serve a role in the global health emergency. The study’s focus centered on the potential of decontamination contaminated N95s for reuse by healthcare workers. According to study findings published in International Journal of Infectious Diseases, the outside and inside of facemasks were decontaminated using a prototype phototherapy unit that dispenses a UV-C dosing level high enough to effectively kill the virus in less than two minutes while still preserving the facemask’s breathability, fit and overall integrity. Of the five N95s used at Henry Ford and tested for the coronavirus in the study, the decontamination process worked best on two models -- facepieces on 3M 1860 and Moldex 1511 and straps on 3M 8210 and Moldex 1511. The effects of the dosage varied on the other tested models and their straps, suggesting that the UV-C radiation can degrade them. Researchers say wiping the straps with ethanol before decontamination would likely be required as an additional disinfection step in the process to maximize the wearer’s safety. The study authors emphasized that fit testing be required each time a disinfected facemask is returned for use or a new model is being worn for the first time. The study’s lead investigator stressed that facemask sterilization should only be used in severe shortages of N95s, adding a reminder to wearers that discarding a contaminated disposable N95 after a single use is “still ideal.” UV-C is one of the four methods considered for facemask decontamination. It is well known for its ability to penetrate the DNA of bacteria and microorganisms and prevent them from multiplying or replicating. Previous research has shown UV-C to be effective at killing the flu virus as well two other well- known coronaviruses: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV). Whether it could work on the novel COVID-19 virus was previously unknown. The investigators cautioned that none of the N95s tested were visibly soiled. Most health systems including Henry Ford prohibit the reuse of soiled N95s. Also, the researchers stressed that not all N95s are created equal and may not withstand decontamination. Henry Ford’s phototherapy unit was modified with the help of engineers at Daavlin Co., a phototherapy manufacturer based in Bryan, Ohio. The research was conducted by a team of Henry Ford’s Department of Dermatology in Detroit and University of Michigan researchers. Testing of the N95s for decontamination was performed at U-M’s SARS-CoV-2 research lab in Ann Arbor.
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News Briefs Continued from previous page HHS periodically audits covered entities and business associates for their compliance with the HIPAA Rules, as required by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Nearly all (89%) of selected covered entities failed to show they were correctly implementing the individual right of access to protected health information (PHI). Compliance gaps included inadequate or incorrect policies and procedures for providing access, such as policies that effectively deny access to PHI, or lack of policies for honoring requests for information to be provided to a designated third party. Most covered entities met the timeliness requirements for providing breach notification to individuals, but approximately 70% of them used breach notification letters that failed to satisfy regulatory content requirements, such as a description of the electronic personal health information (ePHI) breached, and steps individuals can take to protect themselves from additional harm. Other areas of weak compliance included incomplete information on Notice of Privacy Practices, incorrect implementation of right of access requirements, such as taking timely action on health information requests (within the required 30-day period) and charging a reasonable cost-based fee for copies of PHI. Only 14% of audited covered entities “substantially fulfilled” responsibilities regarding safeguarding of ePHI through risk analysis mechanisms. About 94% of covered entities failed to meet HIPAA Security Rule requirements for having appropriate risk management mechanisms in place to reduce risks and vulnerabilities to a reasonable and appropriate level. The audit found that only 12% of business associates fulfilled the requirement to implement appropriate risk management mechanisms.
Study Finds Low Hospital ER Employee Coronavirus Infection Rates
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irmingham, AL – Findings of a baseline study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine last October show that infection rates among health care workers in large hospital emergency departments (ED) remained low, despite reports of infection spikes at the initial epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by researchers from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the study was sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A cross-sectional analysis of ED health care providers (HCP) was conducted at 20 high-volume emergency departments throughout the nation during late spring and early summer of 2020. At the time, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 was increasing in the United States. A significant number of those workers who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were unaware of their exposure to the virus. Accounting for both diagnosed and undiagnosed infections, the study authors found that approximately 4.6 percent of ED health care workers were infected with SARS-CoV-2, and over one-third of infections were undiagnosed. HCP were categorized as clinical (physicians, advanced practice providers, and nurses) and non-clinical staff (clerks, social workers, and case managers). Overall, only 2.8 percent of emergency department staff in the 20 sites had diagnosed COVID-19 infection during initial assessment, a total of 193 persons out of 6,788 enrolled nationwide. Subsequent testing of 1,606 health care workers not known to have COVID-19 found an additional 1.8 percent with evidence of previous or undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. The low volume of infections found in health care workers demonstrates that infection prevention precautions and safeguards established by hospitals were working. Of the small number of those with undiagnosed infection, 60% were asymptomatic, and thus unaware they carried the virus. Because undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection may pose substantial risk for transmission to other staff and patients, the baseline information can help providers plan the current spike in infections and prepare for response to future potential outbreaks, the study authors concluded.
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More Responsive COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Could Identify Pandemic Spikes Early
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new study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, identifies a method that not only detects the virus in wastewater samples but also tracks whether the infection rates are trending up or down, according to a Science Daily article. The study could be a be help to public health agencies. Faster identification of case spikes could allow local officials to act more quickly before the disease reaches a crucial tipping point where transmission becomes difficult to contain and hospitalizations overwhelm the local health 2020 system. Researchers at Island Michigan Technological HES 1/2 Page Monster University have found that testing wastewater 5-7/16” x 7-1/8” provides a robust source of COVID-19 because those infected shed the virus in their stool.
The method could be used for more responsive tracking and supplementing information public health officials rely on when evaluating efforts to contain the virus, such as enhanced public health measures and even vaccines when they become available. The test works by identifying and measuring genetic material in the form of RNA from SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The viral RNA can be isolated from sewage in wastewater treatment facilities and identified through a complicated and highly technical recovery process, with the relative amounts in wastewater correlating to the number of cases. Anyone with a toilet connected to a sewer system could be depositing these biological samples on a regular basis, making wastewater sampling
an inclusive source of information about COVID-19 in a community. The researchers were able to increase the effectiveness and accuracy of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 through sampling and testing at the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility from mid-March to midJuly 2020, tallying daily concentration numbers. Using statistical modeling they compared these concentrations with COVID-19 confirmed cases provided by the county. Their results tracked the trend of the county’s cases, decreasing in both May and June and peaking in July. The research presents a possible way to identify new outbreaks, find hotspots, confirm the decrease of cases and inform public health interventions. As schools reopen, the technology could be implemented by districts to identify whether community virus circulation is decreasing. It also has the potential to be used in areas lacking the resources for robust individual clinical testing, such as testing sites in Illinois that reportedly closed early after running out of tests. The team launched a new pilot last summer to sample up to eight wastewater treatment plants within California daily, with a 24-hour turnaround time. The pilot aims to better understand what types of almost real-time data are useful to public health officials. Implementing the methods and framework developed by the team and pilot study could also be used in the future to monitor wastewater for pathogens beyond COVID-19 circulating within communities.
CDC Report: Candida Auris Outbreak in Florida Hospital Linked to PPE Reuse
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July 2020 outbreak of infections caused by the fungal yeast, Candida auris that occurred in four patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been linked to personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitization practices by healthcare providers an acute care hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control. C. auris, a multi-drug resistant fungal yeast, was implicated in three bloodstream infections and one urinary tract infection in patients who had received routine screening for C. auris upon admission to the facility (Hospital A). They were receiving care in the same dedicated COVID-19 unit. Spread of C. auris occurs in healthcare settings through contact with contaminated environmental surfaces or equipment, or from person to person.
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News Briefs Continued from previous page Hospital A’s dedicated COVID-19 ward consists of five wings on four floors, with 12–20 private rooms. During the COVID-19, pandemic, the hospital has been using standard, unit-wide point prevalence surveys to identify additional hospitalized patients colonized with the C. auris. Between August 4–18, patients on all four floors of the COVID-19 ward were screened for C. auris, sequentially and then rescreened only if their initial result was indeterminate. Of the 67 patients admitted to the COVID-19 unit and screened during the point prevalence surveys, 35 (52%) received positive test results. The mean age of colonized patients was 69 years (range = 38–101 years) and 60% were male. Six (17%) colonized patients later had clinical cultures that grew C. auris. Among patients screened who had available medical records (20), two (10%) were admitted directly from a long-term care facility and eight (40%) died within 30 days of screening, but whether C. auris contributed to death is unknown, the CDC report noted. A subsequent investigation conducted by Hospital A’s infection prevention team, the Florida Department of Health, and CDC focused on infection prevention and control. Investigators observed health care personnel (HCP) use of personal protective equipment (PPE), contact with and disinfection of shared medical equipment, hand hygiene, and supply storage. A combination of factors, including HCP using multiple gown and glove layers in the COVID-19 unit, extended use of the underlayer of PPE, lapses in cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment, and lapses in adherence to hand hygiene likely contributed to widespread C. auris transmission. In addition, mobile computers and medical equipment were not always disinfected between uses, and medical supplies (e.g., oxygen tubing and gauze) were found stored in open bins, the CDC report concluded. No further C. auris transmission was detected on subsequent surveys after Hospital A removed supplies from hallways, enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices, and ceased base PPE layer practices.
Doctor Urges Infection Preventionists to Redouble Efforts to Help Stop COVID-19
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noxville, KY – A leading healthcare policy research expert and retired physician writing in is urging more focus on containment efforts in the face of a new, more contagious strains of the COVID-19 virus. Kevin Kavanagh, MD, Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board member and Founder and Board Chairman of Health Watch USAsm, says that in addition to following proven vaccination protocols, a renewed emphasis needs to be placed on spread of the virus. This includes thorough disinfection of contaminated surfaces and social distancing of greater than 6 feet, including outdoors where the cold, dry air and cloudy skies are thought to promote the spread of the virus. “Supplementing the staff and resources of our health departments is of utmost importance, possibly with the national guard, Dr. Kavanagh says. “We need to be testing and vaccinating 24/7.” Strategies, such as cutting the first vaccination dose in half for younger individuals won’t work, the doctor notes. No one can tell for sure if there will be significant memory cells generated or how long the immunity will last, and multiple past studies have observed that immunity may well be linked to the strength of the severity of infection, or initial immunological challenge, he adds. The new COVID-19 viral strain, which appears to be taking on some of the characteristics of the 1918 flu, is affecting more of the young, who can become severely ill and develop long-lasting disability, such as myocarditis, Dr. Kavanagh warns. “As many in our population continue to ignore public health advice, the virus has been spreading and mutating, becoming more difficult to contain,” the retired physician says. In addition to directing messaging at young people, he wants to see preventionists at the forefront of the push for stricter containment measures, N95 mask availability, and building air sanitization improvements. Renewed attention also needs to be placed on transmission by fomites, he says. This means continually wiping down touched surfaces because the primary mechanisms of spread of the new strain may also include surfaces. A more infectious COVID-19 virus which increasingly targets the young does not bode well for the non-scientific strategy of herd immunity and somehow protecting those at risk, Dr. Kavanagh says, referring to the B117 strain in the U.K. The entire adult population is at risk for contracting COVID-19 because this variant also appears to be over 50% more transmissible. A professor at U.K.’s Imperial College has observed that social distancing measures that worked against earlier strains of the virus were insufficient to control the spread of the new variant,” Dr. Kavanagh says.
Product/Equipment Profiles Fusion Labeling Technology from Polyfuze
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n the area of healthcare, more specifically hygiene, Polyfuze is being recognized as an innovator to a long-standing problem - how to label polymer containers used in the healthcare industry. The solution (Fusion Labeling Technology) has been used for decades in other industries but is just now being embraced by the medical community.
Benefits of Polymer Fusion Labeling: • Clean - Polyfuze Fusion labels create a flush, label-free surface on polyolefin fomites that are easy to clean and sanitize. No more gummy adhesives or peeled edges where bacteria harbors and thrives. • Safe - Polyfuze Fusion Warning/Safety labels continue to inform patients, healthcare workers and biohazard collection technicians for the life of the product without degradation. • Attractive - Damaged incompatible labels leave peeled edges, exposed layers and gummy adhesives that imply microbes, contamination and uncleanliness. Fusion Labels from Polyfuze become an integral part of the product and will not lift, peel or de-laminate for the life of the product. Integrated BioCote® Antimicrobial eliminates over 86% within 15 minutes and 99% of microbes within 2 hours in between cleaning while also lasting the life of the product. For more information contact Polyfuze at 928-634-8888 or visit their website at www.polyfuze.com - see ad on page 14.
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California Enacts Strict New COVID-19 Notification Law
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acramento, CA – Effective January 1, the 15-day rebuttal period has been removed from a California state regulation that allows state health department officials to shut down jobsites where an imminent hazard of COVID-19 infection has been reported, according to the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC). The new law, AB685, codifies much of the emergency temporary standard that California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) implemented in November. The measure also expands the notification requirements for employers while strengthening Cal/OSHA’s enforcement powers. Cal/OSHA’s definition of a serious violation is one where there is a realistic possibility that death or serious physical harm could result from a workplace hazard. AB 685 makes clear that potential exposure to COVID-19, due to an employer not taking steps to protect employees, falls under that definition. Employer responsibilities When non-healthcare employers identify three or more cases of COVID-19 at a worksite within a 14-day period, they are required to report this to their local health department within 48 hours. The following information must be reported to the local health department: • Name and address of the worksite • Number of cases • Names and occupations of workers with COVID-19 • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code of worksite. This is a 6-digit numeric code that classifies businesses by industry. Employers are also required to continue notifying the local health department if additional cases are identified at the worksite. Upon learning of any potential exposure in the workplace, within one business day, contractors must provide:
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Written notice to all employees and employees of subcontractors, who were present at the worksite during the specified infectious period, which starts two days before symptoms appear and continues for at least 10 days, as well as those workers’ unions.
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Written notice to employees of COVID-19 benefits information that they are entitled to under applicable federal, state and local laws, such as California’s AB 1867, which requires that most employers with 500 or more U.S.-based employees pay COVID-19 sick leave benefits to state workers.
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Written description to employees of disinfection protocols and safety plans to be implemented in impacted areas.
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Within 48 hours, notify local health authorities of a COVID-19 workplace outbreak, defined as three or more cases in a 14-day period, including the business address and NAICS industry code of the worksite, and then provide ongoing updates.
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Maintain written records of all employee communications regarding any incidents for at least two years, according to AGC California.
Some health departments have developed web tools for employer reporting; an example can be found on the Alameda County Public Health Department COVID-19 Workplace Case and Contact Reporting web page. While contractors can still appeal a citation from the public health agency, there’s no longer a way to head it off before the agency takes enforcement action, which can include an “Order Prohibiting Use,” or work stoppage, and fines of up to $25,000 per occurrence.
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he health risks of South Africa’s 501Y.V2 COVID variant have yet to be definitively established, but British health officials say the strain could be worse than UK’s B117, according to an article. In November, routine whole genomic sequencing by South African health authorities found a new SARS-CoV-2 variant rapidly replacing other SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Meanwhile, an Oxford University researcher told Times Radio (an affiliate of the London Times), that both B117 and 501Y.V2 have different mutations, rather than a single mutation. The mutations associated with 501Y.V2 are substantial changes to the virus’ protein structure, which allow it to attach exceptionally well to human cell receptors. The World Health Organization (WHO) says for now that 501Y. V2 does not seem to be associated with worse symptoms or outcomes. WHO is monitoring the variant, which also has been reported in the U.K., Switzerland, Japan, Finland, France, Australia, Zambia, and many other countries. The B117 strain that emerged in the U.K. has now been spotted in 37 countries altogether, including the United States in Florida, California, and Colorado. Researchers and U.K. top health administrators say the South Africa’s 501Y.V2 variant is much more problematic than the UK’s B117, which moved British regulators to restrict all flights from South Africa. According to a January report in Reuters, mutations to the spike protein in variant 501.V2 may pose significant obstacles to the effectiveness of vaccines in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Scientists at the University of Reading and Warwick University think the mutations may make the virus less susceptible to the body’s immune response triggered by vaccines. An immunologist at GlaxoSmithKline, quoted on France24 said that the current spike protein mutations should not pose a problem for existing vaccines, and he urged faster roll out of vaccination programs.
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Buyers’ Guide DIRECTORY
CATEGORY LISTINGS Air & Surface Cleaning/ Disinfection Systems
Alternative Energy Systems
1 Priority Environmental Services, Inc Abatement Technologies Advanced Vapor Technologies, LLC AmeriVap Systems, Inc Biomist, Inc Bioquell Inc Cleanint ClorDiSys Daylight Medical Hygiena Infection Prevention Technologies, LLC sBioMed LLC Steriliz, LLC TRU-D LLC UltraViolet Devices Inc UVAIRx Inc Vaportek Inc Xenex Healthcare Services
NewWay Global Energy ZeroWaste Energy Systems
Automated Equipment & Container Cleaning Systems Aaqua Tools ARE Industries Better Engineering McClure Industries, Inc Neptune Wash Solutions
Automated Wheelchair Disinfection Systems Hubscrub Company
Containers, Carts, Casters & Wheels (Linens) Bomac Carts McClure Industries, Inc PCM Medical Waste Recycling Tecni-Quip Carts
Containers/Carts (Recycling & Document Storage) Bomac Carts McClure Industries, Inc Rehrig Healthcare Systems Scott Distribution LLC / Scott Containers Solutions Inc Tecni-Quip Carts Toter Inc
Containers (Pharmaceutical, Medical Waste & Sharps) BD Medical Daniels Sharpsmart Envirotain, LLC McClure Industries, Inc PCM Medical Waste Recycling Post Medical Inc Rehrig Healthcare Systems San-I-Pak Inc Scott Distribution LLC / Scott Containers Sharpsology Snyder Industries Inc Solutions Inc
Hand Hygiene Compliance System DebMed USA LLC
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2020/21
hes Buyers’ Guide CATEGORY LISTINGS
Hazardous & Regulated Waste Disposal & Infection Compliance Services AMS Med Waste LLC Assured Waste Solutions Clean Harbors Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services Golder Associates Inc JT Environmental Consulting Medasend Biomedical Inc MedAssure One Sustainabile Method Recycling LLC Pharma-Cycle Inc PharmWaste Technologies Inc Prime Compliance Quest Recycling Services, LLC San-I-Pak Inc Sharps MD SRI Surgical Stericycle Visionary Solutions LLC
Janitorial Supplies & Services Century Products LLC Geerpres Inc Jani-King International, Inc UniFirst Corporation Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC
Liquid Waste Disposal Systems (Biohazardous) Ansell Sandel Medical Solutions Bemis Health Care DiSorb Systems, Inc Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc Liquitech, Inc Stryker
Odor Control Zorbx
Regulatory Services & Training Compliance Publishing Corp Spurgin & Associates
Medical Waste Treatment Systems (Autoclaves, etc) BioMedical Technology Solutions BN Green Technologies Bondtech Corporation Clean Waste Systems ECODAS Envirotek OnSite Sterilization, LLC Paragon Waste Solutions Red Bag Solutions San-I-Pak Inc Sterilis Medical Corporation SteriMed Medical Waste STI Biosafe Vertisa
Motorized Carts, Tugs & Lifting Systems
Sanitizing Products, Hand Cleaners & Dispensing Systems BioMed Protect, LLC Clorox Professional Products CS Medical, LLC Dial Corp, A Henkel Company Ecolab Inc Elyptol, Inc Germ Pro Products GOJO Industries Inc Kimberly-Clark Professional Micro-Scientific® Palmero Health Care Parker Laboratories Proctor & Gamble Resurgent Health & Medical Safety-Med Products Spartan Chemical Co, Inc Sporicidin by Contec, Inc Surfacide UltraClenz Vital Vio Wexford Labs
PHS West Inc Red Devil Equipment Co
10
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
Shred-Tech Vecoplan, LLC
Solvent Recovery Systems B/R Instrument Corp
Medical Waste Device Recycling Stryker
Shredding Equipment (Plant-Based & Office Shredders)
winter 2020/21
Spill Control Materials SorbTech Mfg, Inc UltraTech International
Uniforms & Work Clothing UniFirst Corporation
Waste Tracking & Routing Software (Medical Waste Collection & Transport) Clear Computing EZshred Software Imec Technologies Inc PC Scale Inc™
X-Ray Film Recovery/ Silver Reclamation AMS Med Waste LLC Commodity Resource & Environmental Inc Pyromet Silver Refiners Rochester Silver Works LLC United DMS of Tennessee LLC
2020/21
hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX
A 1 Priority Environmental Services, Inc Fort Worth, TX (817) 595-0790 www.go1priority.com
Aaqua Tools
Rancho Cordova, CA (800) 777-2922 www.AaquaTools.com
Abatement Technologies Suwanee, GA (800) 634-9091 www.abatement.com
Advanced Vapor Technologies, LLC
BioMedical Technology Solutions, Inc Englewood, CO (866) 525-2687 www.bmtscorp.com
Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services
Wichita, KS (316) 943-5000 www.areindustries.com
Assured Waste Solutions Gastonia, NC (704) 865-7550 www.assuredwaste.com
B
BD Medical
Franklin Lakes, NJ (201) 847-6800 www.bd.com
Bemis Health Care
Sheboygan Falls, WI (920) 467-4621 www.bemishealthcare.com
Better Engineering
Baltimore, MD (800) 229-3380 www.betterengineering.com
Creedmoor, NC (877) 255-9472 www.csmedicalllc.com
Horsham, PA (215) 682-0225 www.bioquell.com
Baltimore, MD (855) 228-1715 www.curtisbayenergy.com
BN Green Technologies San Diego, CA (855) 294-2227 www.bngreentech.com
AMS Med Waste LLC
ARE Industries
New York, NY (212) 251-7200 www.copper.org
Bioquell Inc
Dawsonville, GA (800) 763-7687 www.amerivap.com
Chatsworth, CA (866) 764-3327 www.sandelmedical.com
Copper Development Association Inc
CS Medical, LLC
Wheeling, IL (847) 850-5530 www.biomistinc.com
AmeriVap Systems, Inc
Ansell Sandel Medical Solutions
Norwell, MA (877) 500-6737 www.cleanharbors.com
Biomist, Inc
Everett, WA (800) 997-6584 www.advap.com
Lake in the Hills, IL (855) 633-9278 www.amsmedwaste.com
Clean Harbors
Bomac Carts / Royal Basket Trucks
201 Badger Parkway Darien, WI 53114 (262) 882-5000 Melissa Dean sales@bomaccarts.com www.bomaccarts.com Heavy-Duty utility carts are our specialty. From Recycling, Manufacturing, Shipping/ Receiving, Commercial Laundry and Mailrooms, our offering meets a broad range of uses in many industries. See ad on pg 4
Bondtech Corporation Somerset, KY (800) 414-4231 www.bondtech.net
B/R Instrument Corp Easton, MD (410) 820-8800 www.brinstrument.com
C
Century Products LLC
Greensboro, NC (800) 927-0981 www.centuryproductsllc.com
Clean Earth, Inc
Hatboro, PA (215) 734-1400 / 877-445-DIRT www.cleanearthinc.com
Clean Waste Systems
200 Birch Ave S Maple Lake, MN 55358-0304 (877) 478-5195 Peter Jude peter@cleanwastesystems.com www.cleanwastesystems.com Clean Waste Systems is the designer, manufacturer, parts and service company for its patented, OMW-1000 Ozone Medical Waste Processing System in the United States and foreign markets. Clean Waste Systems specializes in the design and development of ozone-based technologies using Humidizone™ for its sterilization and sanitation processes. See ad on pg 16
D
Daniels Sharpsmart
Chicago, IL (312) 546-8900 www.danielsinternational.com
Daylight Medical
Middleburgh Hts, OH (800) 459-8500 www.daylightmedical.com
DebMed USA LLC Charlotte, NC (866) 783-0422 www.debmed.com
Dial Corp, A Henkel Company Scottsdale, AZ (800) 253-DIAL www.dialprofessional.com
Cleanint
Georgetown, TX (888) 715-0464 www.cleanint.com
DiSorb Systems, Inc
Clear Computing
Tinton Falls, NJ (888) 332-5327 www.clearcomputing.com
ClorDiSys
Branchburg, NJ (908) 236-4100 www.clordisys.com
Clorox Professional Products Oakland, CA (800) 537-1415 www.cloroxprofessional.com
Commodity Resource & Environmental Inc
Burbank, CA (818) 843-2811 / (800) 943-2811 www.creweb.com
Compliance Publishing Corp Edina, MN (800) 242-9723 www.compliancepublishing.com
Philadelphia, PA (866) 287-6672 www.disorb.com
Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc Riverside, MO (888) 466-6633 www.dornoch.com
E
ECODAS
Seattle, WA (864) 381-8856 www.ecodas.com
Ecolab Inc
St Paul, MN (877) 927-9726 www.ecolab.com
Elyptol, Inc
Santa Monica, CA (424) 500-8099 www.elyptol.com
Envirotain, LLC
Hudson, OH (216) 255-5107 www.envirotain.com winter 2020/21
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
11
2020/21 EContinued Envirotek
Charlotte, NC (704) 351-7311 www.envirotekww.com
EZshred
Chesterland, OH (877) 392-7123 www.ezshred.com
G
Geerpres Inc
Muskegon, MI (231) 773-3211 www.geerpres.com
Germ Pro Products
Tampa, FL (800) 966-5367 www.germproproducts.com
hes Buyers’ Guide
COMPANY INDEX JT Environmental Consulting Orlando, FL (888) 583-6826 www.jtenv.com
K
Kimberly-Clark Professional Roswell, GA (678) 352-6207 www.kcprofessional.com
L
Liquitech Inc Environmental Solutions Lombard, IL (630) 693-0500 www.liquitech.com
Manchester, NH (603) 624-4243 www.hubscrub.com
Hygiena
Camarillo, Ca (888) HYGIENA www.hygiena.com
I
Imec Technologies Inc Champaign, IL (217) 643-7488 www.imec.ie
Infection Prevention Technologies, LLC
Auburn Hills, MI (800) 359-9855 www.infectionpreventiontechnologies.com
J
Jani-King International, Inc Addison, TX (800) JANIKING www.janiking.com
12
Pottstown, PA (610) 495-8214 www.askonsite.com
Stratford, CT (800) 344-6424 www.palmerohealth.com
Paragon Waste Solutions Golden, CO (720) 390-3169 www.paragonws.com
Parker Laboratories
Akron, OH (800) 321-9647 www.gojo.com
Hubscrub Company
OnSite Sterilization, LLC
Palmero Health Care
M
GOJO Industries Inc
H
O
One Sustainabile Method Recycling LLC
P
Chongqing, China (613) 794-6886 www.gient.net
solutions@golder.com www.golder.com
Johnson Creek, WI (920) 988-0686 www.newwayglobal.net
Louisville, KY (502) 561-3404 www.osmllc.net
Gient Heating Industry Co
Golder Associates Inc
NewWay Global Energy
(973) 276-9500 www.parkerlabs.com
McClure Industries, Inc
9051 SE 55th Ave Portland, OR 97206 (503) 777-2821 Kim Nitsos kim@mcclureindustries.com www.mcclureindustries.com McClure Industries, Inc. manufactures over 80 models of Sanitrux laundry, linen and trash carts. Sanitrux are ASTM-E tested and certified Class II fire retardant and meet or exceed all NFPA fire codes. Sanitrux are specifically designed for the tough commercial environment. See ad on pg 8
Medasend Biomedical Inc Garden Grove, CA (800) 200-3581 www.medasend.com
PC Scale Inc™
Oxford, PA (800) 962-9264 www.pcscaletower.com
PCM Medical Waste Recycling Pinellas Park, FL (727) 547-6277 www.pcmmedicalwasterecycling.com
PDI®
Orangeburg, NY (800) 444-6725 www.pdihc.com
Pharma-Cycle Inc
Newport, RI (617) 755-0883 www.pharma-cycle.com
MedAssure
Farmingdale, NJ (732) 363-7444 www.medassureservices.com
Micro-Scientic®
PharmWaste Technologies Inc Urbandale, IA (515) 276-5302 www.pwaste.com
PHS West Inc
Rolling Meadows, IL (847) 454-0835 www.micro-scientic.com
Hanover, MN (888) 639-5438 www.phswest.com
N
Neptune Wash Solutions Orangeburg, SC (866) 303-4437 www.neptunewash.com
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
winter 2020/21
Polyfuze Graphics Corporation
999 State Route 89A Clarkdale, AZ 86324 (928) 634-8888 Noelle Daigle nreeves@moldingraphics.com www.polyfuze.com Polyfuze Fusion labels create a flush, labelfree surface on polyolefin fomites that are easy to clean and sanitize. No more gummy adhesives or peeled edges where bacteria harbors and thrives. See ad on pg 14
Post Medical Inc
Alpharetta, GA (866) 330-4845 www.postmedical.com
Prime Compliance Wyoming, MI (616) 893-8243 www.thehipaaman.com
Proctor & Gamble Cincinnati, OH (513) 983-1100 www.pg.com
Pyromet Silver Refiners Aston, PA (610) 497-1743 www.pyromet999.com
Q
Quest Recycling Services, LLC Frisco, TX (877) 321-1811 www.questrecycling.com
R
Red Bag Solutions Baltimore, MD 21227 (877) 973-3224 www.redbag.com
Red Devil Equipment Co
Plymouth, MN (800) 221-1083 www.reddevilequipment.com
ed e, er st d. se ed he te of ns al
2020/21
hes Buyers’ Guide
COMPANY INDEX
Rehrig Healthcare Systems
Sharps MD
SRI Surgical
Resurgent Health and Medical
Sharpsology
Stericycle
Shred-Tech
Sterilis Medical Corporation
Atlanta, GA (844) 4-Rehrig (473-4744) www.rehrighealthcare.com
Golden, CO (800) 932-7707 www.resurgenthealth.com
Rochester Silver Works LLC Rochester, NY (585) 743-1415 www.rochestersilverworks.com
Rubbermaid Commercial Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC Products LLC
Winchester, VA VA Winchester, (540) 667-8700 (540) 667-8700 www.rubbermaidcommercial.com www.rubbermaidcommercial.com
Tarpon Springs, FL (727) 940-5872 www.wastealliance.net
Tampa, FL (813) 891-9550 www.srisurgical.com
Largo, FL (540) 520-6341 www.sharpsology.com
Lake Forest, IL (847) 367-5910 www.stericycle.com
Cambridge, ON Canada (800) 465-3214 www.shred-tech.com
Boxborough, MA (508) 875-1070 www.sterilismedical.com
Snyder Industries Inc
Steriliz, LLC
Lincoln, NE (888) 422-8683 www.medwastecontainers.com
Rochester, NY (855) 882-2013 www.steriliz.us
SteriMed Medical Waste Solutions Inc Farmington Hills, MI (855) 783-7463 www.sterimedsystems.com
SS Safety-Med Products
Safety-Med Products Burlington, Burlington, WI WI (866) 421-3400 (866) 421-3400 www.safety-med.com www.safety-med.com
Steris Corporation Mentor, OH (440) 354-2600 www.steris.com
Solutions Inc
San-I-Pak, IncInc San-I-Pak,
PO Box 1183 PO Box Tracy, CA 1183 95378 Tracy, CA 95378 (209) 836-2310 Arthur 836-2310 McCoy (209) arthurmccoy@sanipak.com Arthur McCoy www.sanipak.com arthurmccoy@sanipak.com Since 1978, San-I-Pak, Inc. has been www.sanipak.com providing technological solutions for managing infectious & solid Since 1978, San-I-Pak, Inc.waste. has San-Ibeen Pak has proven to be a critical component providing technological solutions of the patient care infrastructure, especially for managing & solid during times of infectious crisis. Contact us at waste. San-I-Pak has to be sanipak@sanipak.com or proven (209) 836-2310 find out component how we can help yourpatient hospital ato critical of the become more financially and operationally care infrastructure, especially during independent. times See adof oncrisis. pg 2 Contact us at sanipak@
sanipak.com or (209) 836-2310 to find outLLC how we can help your sBioMed Orem, UTbecome more financially and hospital (801) 922-1111 independent. operationally www.sbiomed.com
sBioMed LLC LLC Scott Distribution DBA Orem,Scott UT Containers Grapevine, TX (801) 922-1111 (817) 756-6909 www.sbiomed.com www.scottcontainers.com Schaefer Systems International, Inc
Charlotte, NC (704) 944-4500
STI Biosafe
6213 Gheens Mill Rd Jeffersonville, IN 47130 (502) 228-2901 / (812) 288-8644 www.medicalwastecontainers.com Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of medical waste containers and accessories, in both the domestic and international markets. We provide solutions for waste haulers, hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, funeral homes, laboratories, clinics, research facilities, etc., by supplying our customers unlimited medical waste handling solutions with our large variety of containers, including medical waste containers, and all-purpose containers. See ad on pg 5
SorbTech Mfg, Inc Plaistow, NH (570) 371-8464 www.sorb-tech.com
Spartan Chemical Company, Inc
Indianapolis, IN (317) 858-8099 www.stibiosafe.com
Stryker
U
UltraClenz
Jupiter, FL www.ultraclenz.com
Jacksonville, FL (800) 764-9563 www.spillcontainment.com
Naperville, IL (630) 861-9000 www.surfacide.com
T
960 Crossroads Blvd Seguin, TX 78155 (800) 826-1245 Jo Beth Reilly or A.D. Sanchez tqcarts@tqind.com www.tqind.com Tecni-Quip Carts is a manufacturer of durable carts engineered to withstand the stress of transporting waste, biohazardous waste and soiled linen in any situation. All models are extremely durable and will last for years. Custom fabrication for any situation and in ANY quantity is available. Variety of sizes, bumpers, fire retardant properties, equipped with large superior casters and wheels for any type of surface. Friendly and knowledgeable customer service. See ad on pg 3
UltraTech International
(269) 385-2600 www.stryker.com
Surfacide
Tecni-Quip Carts
UltraViolet Devices, Inc Valencia, CA (661) 295-8140 www.uvdi.com
Toter Inc
UniFirst Corporation
TRU-D LLC
United DMS of Tennessee LLC
Statesville, NC (800) 424-0422 www.toter.com
Memphis, TN (800) 774 5799 www.tru-d.com
Maumee, OH (800) 537-8990 www.spartanchemical.com
Wilmington, MA (800) 455-7654 www.unifirst.com
Knoxville, TN (865) 637-2560 www.uniteddms.com
UVAIRx Inc
Centennial, CO (303) 327-5355 www.uvairx.com
Sporicidin by Contec, Inc Spartanburg, SC (800) 762-3472 www.sporicidin.com
V
Spurgin & Associates
Sussex, WI (800) 237-6367 www.vaportek.com
Vaportek Inc
Irvine, CA (949) 677-0700 www.spurginassociates.com
winter 2020/21
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
13
2020/21 VContinued
Vecoplan LLC
5708 Uwharrie Rd Archdale, NC 27263 (336) 861-6070 Brett Smith info@vecoplanllc.com www.vecoplanllc.com Versatility is a hallmark of Vecoplan shredders. Paper, cardboard, plastics, hard drives, textiles, even sharps and red bags are
hes Buyers’ Guide
COMPANY INDEX easily processed by Vecoplan shredders and shred to unrecognizable consistency. This ability makes Vecoplan shredders perfect for both secure destruction and medical waste shredding. Vecoplan shredders are AAA NAID compliant and help you gain control of HIPAA compliance and costs by “in house” destruction of records, disks, drives, and other media. Versatility is also a hallmark of Vecoplan, the company. With years of Med-Waste experience developing systems used in hospitals worldwide, Vecoplan designs, engineers, manufactures, installs, provides training, parts and service for complete shredding systems. Whether for plant based document destruction systems, secure destruction shred trucks, or as an integral component in turnkey waste sterilization systems, Vecoplan is your source for shredding solutions. Shredding for security, shredding for recycling or shredding for disposal – call Vecoplan. See ad on pg 6
Vertisa
Orlando, FL (407) 852-8277 www.medicalwastetechnology.com
Visionary Solutions LLC Knoxville, TX (865) 482-8670 www.vs-llc.com
Vital Vio
Troy, NY (518) 268-1101 www.vitalvio.com
W
X
Xenex Healthcare Services LLC San Antonio, TX (800) 553-0069 www.xenex.com
Z
ZeroWaste Energy Systems Kleinburg, ON Canada www.zwes.ca
Zorbx
Strongsville, OH (800) 201-5530 www.zorbx.com
Wexford Labs
Kirkwood, MO (800) 506-1146 www.wexfordlabs.com
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www.polyfuze.com 14
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
winter 2020/21
www.purelygreenclean.com/hygenics winter 2020/21
HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news
15
info@cleanwastesystems.com
www.cleanwastesystems.com