Reusable Scrubs - Polyester Funk in the Operating Room!
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 03. 2.07
Industrial laundering of surgical gowns has proven its environmental value according to a study carried out for the European Textile Services Association. The independent organization, dk-Teknik Energy & Environment, in Denmark carried out an LCA of 5 types of surgical gowns – 3 reusable gowns and 2 disposable options. The 100% polyester (microfibre) even with its fluorocarbon finish came out on top, outranking all other options including the 50/50 cotton/polyester mix. Reusable gowns clearly showed lower impacts than their disposable counterparts even when they compared the “best case” for disposables and the “worst case” for reusables. A summary of the study is apparently available in English but the link doesn’t work and the full LCA is only available in Swedish. So we’ll have to trust the short summary available here. The LCA follows ISO standards and examined energy consumption, global warming, acidification (of water and soil), eutrophication (nutrient discharges to water) and post-consumer waste. So for all of those surgeons reading TH (we hope you are many) – make sure your employer is keeping those hospital greens greener.
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- The US Should Be Denmark: Tom Friedman on Greening the Economy
- Nanotech Dirty Manufacturing May Cancel Out Eco-Gains
- Richard Branson Backs Legal Bid to Protect Virgin Island Mangroves
- Activists Occupy Environmental Defense Offices, Accuse Them of Protecting Corporations Over the Environment
Well, this is good news. I was in and out of hospitals last year because of my father's condition and even then, I couldn't help noticing just how many things are thrown out in hospitals. It made me wonder just how much waste they rack up in one day. These surgical gowns should at least help cut back on that.
A great way to green up hospital scrubs the all natural way is to switch to organics. I noticed that organic scrubs are available now under the brand Eco Scrubs. The styles look really cute, too!!
Fabrics like hemp and bamboo are naturally resistant to bacteria which sounds like just the thing for a hospital environment! (ps: they are available online at jonano...:)
Thats great that its green friendly but how sterile can they get a reusable gown. I'd be worried about germs if I was having open heart surgery.