Online lecture: single-use medical products in hospitals

During the lecture, the students were shown that products must always be viewed holistically, on the example of disposable and reusable area clothing. This means that reusable is not automatically the better alternative. In addition to the resources used in production, the transport routes, the processes in the hospital and the cleaning process must also be considered. Here, for example, CO2 emissions are generated during transport or water and energy as well as chemicals are needed for cleaning. The disposal of the products must also be considered, as resources are also generated here that are included in the environmental balance sheet. Disposable products do not just end up as waste, but also serve to generate energy through thermal recycling of the waste.

HARTMANN was able to introduce many new perspectives, some of which have already been mentioned above. The students provided good food for thought. HARTMANN was able to position itself with more than 100 students, and thus future users of our products, as a committed partner with a holistic portfolio. For HARTMANN, sustainability is a concern despite the disposable products and the safety of caregivers, patients and the planet is also close to our heart.

• The safety of users and patients must always be paramount
• Correct waste separation and disposal in accordance with legal requirements
• Information about the product life cycle and the associated resource use
• Optimization of ordering processes and quantities can help reduce CO2 emissions
• Optimizations to avoid waste – only use consumables that are really needed