LCA of reusable and single-use surgical gowns and drapes

In this report, we investigate the climate impact of operating theatre coats and covering materials by means of a life cycle analysis. The study was carried out for a buyer group, including buyers at hospitals and producers and suppliers of the products, and was led by MVO Nederland and Rijkswaterstaat. The buyer group is mainly interested in the difference between one-off and reusable product variants. In this report, we investigate the climate impact of operating theatre coats and covering materials by means of a life cycle analysis. The study was carried out for a buyer group, including buyers at hospitals and producers and suppliers of the products, and was led by MVO Nederland and Rijkswaterstaat. The buyer group is mainly interested in the difference between one-off and reusable product variants. The environmental results are calculated for each use.

The climate impact of each use of the reusable versions of the coats is significantly lower than the climate impact of the single-use coats, despite the washing and sterilisation step that is required. The impact of production and post-consumer processing is divided over the total number of uses. This makes the impact of each use relatively low.

In the case of covering materials, it cannot be concluded that either the one-off or the reusable variants always have a lower climate impact (normalised to 1 m2 of product). In some cases, the reusable variant has a higher impact, despite the fact that the impact of production and post-disposal processing is divided over the total number of uses. The high impact is due to a relatively high weight and to the material used to make the textile of the coating water repellent.

There are options for making all products more sustainable. For reusable products: another type of coating and use of renewable energy for washing and sterilisation. For one-off products it is still possible to focus on waste processing: recycling instead of incineration.

CE Delft also carried out an environmental study for the buyer group Verfemmers. The environmental results were calculated for each use.

The climate impact of each use of the reusable versions of the coats is significantly lower than the climate impact of the single-use coats, despite the washing and sterilisation step that is required. The impact of production and post-consumer processing is divided over the total number of uses. This makes the impact of each use relatively low.

In the case of covering materials, it cannot be concluded that either the one-off or the reusable variants always have a lower climate impact (normalised to 1 m2 of product). In some cases, the reusable variant has a higher impact, despite the fact that the impact of production and post-disposal processing is divided over the total number of uses. The high impact is due to a relatively high weight and to the material used to make the textile of the coating water repellent.

There are options for making all products more sustainable. For reusable products: another type of coating and use of renewable energy for washing and sterilisation. For one-off products it is still possible to focus on waste processing: recycling instead of incineration.

CE Delft also carried out an environmental study for the buyer group paint buckets.