20-20 Vision
20-20 Vision
Shuttle service
The Covid 19 pandemic affected every aspect of people’s lives as well as every manufacturing company in the world. It is easy in retrospect to see how things could have been done better. However at Shuttlepac which has been on the front line serving the NHS, among many others in the healthcare industry, the company’s efforts to develop and utilise more recyclable plastic has paid dividends for both healthcare trusts and patients alike.
Over the last two years, the demand for recyclable plastic has grown beyond all expectations. The Covid pandemic has also added to this increase in global demand. However, Shutlepac has been optimising its recyclable capabilities and is now one of industry leaders in this field. It is estimated that since the 1950s, humans have produced over 8.3 billion tons of plastic. It has only been brought to the attention of the public in more recent years, by documentaries (such as Our Planet with David Attenborough) or by activists such as Greta Thunberg. The British Government has launched the 25 Year Environment Plan which has pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. This will include the abolishment of plastic straws, carrier bags and food packaging.
Plastic in Healthcare However, much of the single use plastic in healthcare is seemingly unavoidable, with a whopping 25% of the waste generated by hospitals being plastic. The use of plastic gloves and masks in hospitals are integral to protect healthcare workers from disease. Plastic is an extremely desirable material for hospitals and other healthcare environments due to it being low cost, very easily processed, very lightweight and able to be sterilised very easily. Plastic can even be modified to have a bacteria-resistant coating to help protect workers.
8 SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING NEWS
“ much of the single use plastic in healthcare is seemingly unavoidable, with a whopping 25% of the waste generated by hospitals being plastic ”
