Healthcare facilities are facing a daunting challenge when it comes to waste management, with estimates suggesting that the NHS in the UK produces as much as 538,600 tonnes of waste annually. However, the NHS has taken swift action to tackle the social, legal, and financial implications of this environmental impact by implementing initiatives to reduce its waste footprint.
Responding to the demand for cleaner products that minimize waste, healthcare product manufacturers have stepped up by incorporating built-in antimicrobial technologies across various surfaces. These surfaces include privacy curtains, bed sheets, foam mattresses, and medical carts. The use of antimicrobial technologies helps prevent the growth of microbes. It also extends the durability and usable lifetime of treated products. As a result, these products avoid early disposal and prevent them from ending up prematurely in landfills or recycling plants.
In an article for Healthcare Design & Management, Kimberley Cherrington, Senior Manager of Brand and Marketing Communications at Microban International, explains the benefits of antimicrobial surface protection and its contribution to a cleaner, greener future.
