Safer, bigger, greener sharps disposal containers: Keep people safe without costing the Earth
Vernacare has launched all-new 5L and 7L Sharpsafe® containers with an additional safety feature, even greater capacity, and an industry-leading 100% recycled plastic base.
The safer, bigger, and greener containers have been developed following consultation with end-users across the healthcare system. They feature the Dual Protect Pro™ integrated safety shield, which helps to avoid contents spilling while also encouraging horizontal fill to maximise capacity, and are manufactured using new energy-efficient machinery. All this means that the new containers provide enhanced protection from needlestick injuries, one of the most common occupational hazards for healthcare workers worldwide,1 as well as a lower environmental impact.
Alex Hodges, CEO at Vernacare, which was named the UK’s Most Sustainable Infection Prevention Solutions Provider at the 2023 Global Excellence Awards, said: “Sharps containers have long been a crucial part of infection risk mitigation strategies, but they tend to be a high-volume item constructed from virgin plastic, giving them a significantly high carbon footprint.
“This must change, and we know our customers are actively looking for ways to become more sustainable, without compromising on safety. Our new 5L and 7L Sharpsafe® containers have been engineered with 100% recycled plastic base, and they are wider, with a larger capacity, meaning they will be in use for longer before disposal. In short, they offer enhanced healthcare worker protection that doesn’t cost the Earth.”
To help healthcare managers measure the carbon savings from its use, Vernacare has also released an online Carbon Calculator. Using this tool, one hospital found it could save 195.6 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) a year by switching from existing Sharpsafe® containers to the new 5L and 7L models. This was equivalent to 5 overnight hospital stays, at 37.9 kg CO2e each, 4 ambulance trips to A&E at 49 kg CO2e each; or 3.5 hours of surgery at 53 kg CO2e each.2
The new 5L and 7L Sharpsafe® containers are:
· Safer: Dual Protect Pro™ is a first of its kind, fully integrated, strong, flexible and durable safety shield. It stops contents from spilling from the container and prevents users’ from placing their hands inside the container. In addition, the containers are penetration resistant to the ISO 23907-1 standard;
· Bigger: The new Sharpsafe® containers have been designed to maximise capacity, and so minimise the overall number of containers used. The new 7L model, for example, has 13% greater capacity than its predecessor, and 18% greater than existing, round 7L containers;
· Greener: The new models feature an industry-leading locally-sourced recycled polypropylene base, which has a much lower carbon footprint than virgin plastic – resulting in a 94% reduction in CO2e.3 Adaptions to the manufacturing process, which have included more energy efficient machines and automated packing and stacking, have reduced the products’ carbon footprint even further. Virgin plastic cannot be totally eliminated in the lids, but Vernacare has reduced its use by 16%.
For more information visit: https://vernacare.com/new-5-and-7-litre-sharpsafe
References:
1. Bouya, S., Balouchi, A., et al. (2020). Global prevalence and device related causes of needle stick injuries among health care workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of global health, 86(1).
2. Vernacare data
3. Vernacare data