AILEEN’S UNIFORM ATLAS
The Pulse is pleased to present Aileen’s Uniform Atlas, a recurring feature written by Aileen Out.
Out is the owner of Prettybusiness, a news blog in the Netherlands that focuses exclusively on work clothing.
In Scotland, the first plant-based surgical caps are currently being tested. The idea behind this initiative is to reduce the mountain of medical waste. However, the Scots are not the only ones exploring sustainable solutions with plant-based materials; other countries are also working on similar innovations.
Scotland Aims for Sustainability and Visibility
Scottish hospitals collectively use approximately 800,000 disposable surgical caps annually. Considering that it takes around 300 years for one of these caps to decompose in nature, it’s a sobering realization. To address this issue, the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) and Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) have developed caps made from biodegradable, plant-based materials. These caps are also designed with distinctive colors and patterns to make medical staff more easily recognizable.
Currently, the caps are being tested at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital in Clydebank. The goal is for them to withstand up to 100 washes before being discarded. After gathering feedback from medical staff, the aim is to roll out these plant-based caps across all Scottish hospitals.
Sustainable Gloves and Face Masks
While this is the first experiment focusing on surgical caps, similar initiatives have been launched in other countries. For example, the Dutch company SHIELD Scientific has been selling gloves made from Hevea brasiliensis trees for some time. Known as the “rubber tree,” this plant accounts for about 95% of the world’s natural rubber supply. The tree’s milky sap contains small rubber particles, which are separated from the sap through a chemical process to create the material used in gloves.
In the United States, efforts toward sustainable PPE (personal protective equipment) are also underway. PADM Medical has introduced the first plant-based face mask. Since receiving FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval in 2022, the mask is now authorized for use in standard healthcare settings.
Are Plant-Based PPE the Future?
Creating PPE from plants that can naturally decompose sounds promising, but there are some caveats to consider. For instance, what happens when we begin using plants on a massive scale for PPE production? In the event of another global pandemic, would there be enough plants to meet demand? During the peak of COVID-19, 1.3 billion masks were produced in just over three months. The risk lies in the potential overprocessing of plants with chemicals, which could lead to further environmental contamination.
In conclusion, plant-based PPE is a promising initiative, but we must remain vigilant about its potential risks. Nature provides us with valuable resources, and it’s our responsibility to preserve its beauty while using them wisely.
Photo: plant-based surgical caps (Scotland)
