To think single-use PPE is terrible for the environment

[Lycidas]

Apparently 55,000 items of PPE will only last eight hours in the UK...with this situation due to continue for many months at least. Is there really no alternative that’s not as wasteful and environmentally damaging?

Well of course it is, but there's not really another choice atm, is there

It’s less damaging for my environment than loads of people I know dying due to cross contamination.

Yes. Waste from the nhs is huge anyway but you've probably never thought about that. Would you rather your loved ones die?

What your plan then?

Sorry. What’s.

Really?!! Are you being fucking serious?

The environment is getting a break from emissions etc!! FFS!!

Not as bad as Covid is for the population

I don’t understand why there can’t be gowns blasted and washed at high temperatures.

Honest to god some people

It is, but at least the environment is benefiting from far fewer single use items such as coffee cup, party bag novelties and reduced air pollution from car use and industrial production.

PPE is of more social benefit in its short lifespan than a coffee cup.

Reuseable PPE would definitely be an amazing invention but it’s not likely to get invented this side of Christmas so for the moment we need to carry on disposing of it.

It's not great but since PPE is in short supply it's really a necessity.
Lots of other stuff about corona has been better for the environment. Most airlines have grounded their planes, less travel by all modes of transport. Industry halted so far less pollution there. Far fewer people buying takeaway coffees in disposable cups, or prepackaged sandwiches, bottles of water etc
I'm sure there are more.
That doesnt make the single use plastic problem disappear but I'm not sure there are affordable or plentiful alternatives?

There's always one!

I do agree with the sentiment of why don't we have reusable PPE that can be washed at high temps. Are visors and goggles sterilizable?

Of course it is, but there isn't really an alternative is there. And I don't think creating reuseable PPE is exactly top priority at the moment is it!

People dying would be the better for the environment option. That's a tough sell.

Not really the time to be concerned about this is it. The virus is not good for the planet lets be more concerned about that.

It also just seems unsustainable. You really think that with so many large economies competing inviting for PPE, that struggling countries will be able to source any for themselves? It seems like more effort should be directed towards creating safe and reusable PPE.

Laundering would also have an environmental impact. It's not great, but this is an exceptional time, and maybe in future more sustainable solutions could be found.

It's very simple. The materials used in order to prevent molecules as tiny as viruses passing through, are not safely washable.

There is simply no alternative.

Fuck that.

I’m massively, massively into protecting the environment and hardly use any plastic.

But you are utterly insane if you think reusable PPE should be considered at all. How dare you suggest front line workers should put themselves at risk.

dependig on the type and make visors and goggles are sterlisable and reusable. There are also resusable masks but they are not designed to be worn for multiple 8 hr shifts. We use them in industrial settings but I'm not aware of them being used in medical circumstances. They are looking at sterilising some of the gowns as well.

This is why we need to be so careful about the media stories about resuse of PPE. In some cases it is perfectly possible and in others it isn't. The media would have you believe any reuse is bad.

You have to balance practicalities and cost (including environmental - washing at 90 uses electricity you know...). Throwing away small items such as gloves and thin plastic aprons is practical - think of the alternative. Robust gloves that survive multiple washes that you can't actually use in a clinical setting because they're too bulky. Storage and extra washing facilities for plastic gowns made out of material so thick, to survive continuous washing, the same amount of plastic would have made 100 disposable gowns.

Plenty of clinical equipment and I dare say some ppe is re-used (E.g. visors) but it's not as simple as you'd like to think for a lot of it.

@Waffles80

Yes but as long as we have the PPE that we need in the UK, who cares if other countries are getting screwed over? Because that’s exactly what you’re suggesting. There is no way that is the global demand is going to be met through the current system. So make sure that our doctors are safe, but others don’t matter. Like I said it’s not sustainable at least for the short term.