18562 Online Quaterly Newsletter V5 SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 13
PPE
“The rising cost of clinical waste
disposal, which can be as much
as £700 per tonne, is another
consideration leading Trusts to reevaluate their use of single and
reusable surgical textiles. Factor in the
VAT reclaim on reusable rental, and it
is clear reusable products offer a more
viable long-term solution. So, what can
be done to encourage the widespread
adoption of reusable PPE?
“In countries such as Sweden, Norway and the
Netherlands, there is a tax on incineration, and it is
likely other countries may adopt a similar approach
going forward. Last year, Italy also published a legally
binding decree stating that reusable gowns – both
Medical Devices or Devices for Individual Protection
– should represent the first choice over single-use
alternatives. With the global climate crisis worsening,
there is a strong case for other nations to follow suit,
and we would urge the UK government to consider
adopting a similar stance. Doing so would play a
small but vital role in driving the transition to a circular
economy, safeguarding the environment and world
resources for generations to come.”
FC COVID-19 – PPE demand and supply perspectives
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adsu.202100176
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/
covic-pandemic-ppe-waste-government-b1889914.html#/comments
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McQuerry M, Easter E, Cao A. Disposable versus reusable medical
gowns: A performance comparison. Am J Infect Control 2021; 49: 563-70
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David C Kieser, Michael C Wyatt, Andrew Beswick, Setor Kunutsor,
Gary J Hooper: Does the type of surgical drape (disposable versus
non-disposable) affect the risk of subsequent surgical site infection?
Journal of Orthopaedics 15 (2018) 566-570
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Surgical gowns and drapes European Textile Services Association
ETSA (textile-services.eu)
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