Single-use Products Research Articles

Penggunaan Ide Zero Waste dalam Pengolahan Limbah Organik dan Anorganik untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Lingkungan Hidup

The use of zero waste ideas for processing organic and inorganic waste mainly aims to improve environmental quality. The zero-waste concept focuses on minimizing and processing organic and inorganic waste. The following are several aspects to pay attention to in implementing zero waste: 1. Waste Reduction: Reducing waste production by reducing single-use products and replacing them with reusable products. 2. Zero waste-Based Waste Management: Households must be managed by sorting, composting, and collecting goods worth selling. Trash cans must be provided to separate organic and inorganic waste.3. Use of Waste Banks: Waste banks can utilize the economic value of non-organic waste. Waste can be stored and then resold or recycled. 4. Independent Waste Management: Independent waste management can be done by composting organic waste in your household. Inorganic waste must be managed with the help of third parties such as recycling businesses. 5. Community-Based Waste Management: Schools as a community can build awareness in their community about the waste produced every day and how we play our role in reducing the dangers of waste on earth. By implementing the zero waste idea, LKSA ar-Ridlo Peterongan Jombang can improve environmental quality and reduce negative impacts on the planet. This process requires awareness and lifestyle changes that are more concerned about the environment. This program or activity aims to develop a zero-waste concept focusing on sustainably managing organic and inorganic waste. We strive to turn waste into valuable and sellable products using eco-friendly methods.

Life Cycle Assessment of Banned Single-Use Plastic Products and Their Alternatives

Plastic and microplastic contamination continue to be growing problems across the globe for both ecosystems and human health. Canada has banned single-use plastic products such as bags, cutlery, and foodservice ware (containers) to address and mitigate plastics and microplastic contamination. This study evaluates the life cycle of banned plastic products and their alternatives to determine whether environmental impacts can be mitigated. The environmental impacts of bags (plastic, paper, cotton), cutlery (plastic, wooden, biodegradable), and containers (plastic, styrofoam, biodegradable) were determined considering both domestic and imported products. The bag study saw paper bags having the highest environmental impacts and cotton bags with the lowest due to their reusability. For the cutlery study, plastic cutlery was the most impactful across all categories except for eutrophication and ozone depletion, where biodegradable cutlery was the most impactful by 25% and 35%, respectively. In the case of foodservice ware (containers), styrofoam was found to be the least impactful. Similar to cutlery, the plastic containers had the greatest impact except where the biodegradable container contributed more to ozone depletion and eutrophication by 25% and 45%, respectively. Local production reduced impacts across all categories. Furthermore, on a local scale, biodegradable cutlery had a greater impact on the smog and respiratory effects categories than plastic by 10% and 30%, respectively. The results of this study indicate that future regulations should focus on promoting and educating consumers on the use of reusable products over single-use products, funding research to mitigate challenges associated with waste management, and consider an informed ban on all single-use products and not just those made of plastic material to mitigate environmental impacts.

The use of chain extenders as processing aids in the valorization of single-use polylactide (PLA) products by rotomolding

Biodegradable plastics in single-use products have increased in popularity as a way to reduce the negative environmental impact of conventional plastics and meet the tightening law regulations. However, their recyclability needs to be assessed, as the environmental behavior of single-use plastics, even if compostable, is not negligible. Polylactide (PLA) is susceptible to thermal, oxidative, hydrolytic, and mechanical degradation during reprocessing, so the conditions of such cycles must be accurately controlled. The necessity of using additives to reduce such degradations during rotational molding, a process with long cycle times and oxidizing atmosphere, has been demonstrated. Chain extenders based on a carbodiimide (Bioadimide® 100 - KI), a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), and a polystyrene-acrylic copolymer (Joncryl® ADR-4368c - J) have been added to post-consumer PLA wastes. It has been demonstrated that these three chain extenders enabled obtaining a higher molecular weight of the reprocessed polymer, compared to the ∼50% reduction for the neat PLA. The use of carbodiimide yielded the most similar performance to that of unprocessed raw material. All samples provided adequate thermal stability and processing parameters for the rotational molding. Carbodiimide is considered the most efficient additive, as it increases the molecular mass of the polymer as it remains unchanged after processing. Similarly, KI-modified PLA rheological behavior remains unchanged after processing, which means this compound can reduce thermooxidative and hydrolytic degradation reactions. Thus contributing to the achievement of improved processability and better performance; in particular, impact strength increased from 1.06 ± 0.56 for PLA to 8.12 ± 2.28 kJ/m2 for KI-modified PLA, and toughness of 5.36 ± 1.61 to 61.49 ± 8.01 J/mm3, respectively, leading to rotomolded items without structural defects. On the opposite, the use of Joncryl® and MDI led to structural defects in the rotomolded parts despite a higher molecular weight of the polymer, which resulted in poor mechanical properties, although better than PLA without any additive. All three chain extenders resulted in an amorphous PLA structure with increased glass transition temperature and improved thermal stability, which correlated with the reduced emissions of volatile compounds compared to neat recycled PLA. The presented findings significantly contribute to a better understanding of PLA and its modifications at a molecular scale required for its efficient and possibly environmentally burden-free reprocessing. Gathered knowledge will be crucial for optimizing its environmental performance and widening its applications, particularly in a process with long cycle times and oxidative character, such as rotational molding.

Academia's Role in Climate Action: Enhancing Awareness and Reducing Environmental Impact of Academic Events

A clean environment is vital for both population health and the well-being of our planet (Brusseau et al., 2019). In-person gatherings, like academic conferences, significantly contribute to carbon emissions that harm the environment, highlighting the importance of finding opportunities to reduce these emissions (Tao et al., 2021). Cognizant of the environmental cost of our annual national in-person research team gathering, our team sought to minimize the environmental impact of our 2023 gathering while raising awareness among team members. Our actions included using reusable tableware, composting food waste, and hosting an education session by the local environment office. Not only did our efforts increase awareness among gathering attendees about the importance of considering environmental impact reduction opportunities in their work, but they also catalyzed similar efforts at two national conferences. Our team took the lead in developing an evaluation of the environmental impact of each national conference and surveyed over 150 conference attendees. We collected demographic information, travel mode to the conference, and attitudes about environmental harms via a digital conference application. We also observed environmental actions implemented by event organizers and venue hosts. A carbon emission score and frequency distributions of attitudes surrounding the environment were calculated. Where possible, a food waste assessment was conducted. Findings showed that event organizers made efforts to minimize the environmental impact of their event by selecting a venue whose management was interested in collaborating; by encouraging attendees to carpool and use reusable water bottles; by serving plant-based meals, and by minimizing single-use products. Findings also revealed that most conference attendees consider it important to reduce the environmental impact of their professional lives. Given the value of face-to-face interaction in facilitating knowledge exchange (Chan et al., 2023), it is important that organizers continue to make efforts to reduce carbon emissions when planning events.

A fine balance: A review of incinerators for menstrual waste and recommendations for policy and practice

ABSTRACT Menstrual health and hygiene is a public health and human rights issue. Amid growing access to menstrual health products and education, there is limited focus on end-of-life management and environmental impact of single-use products. Burning is a common practice to dispose of pads globally, with pad incinerators becoming widely available in India and parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, known literature does not provide insights into the current product landscape for practitioners, researchers, or funders. Thus, this review aimed to identify and characterize incinerators designed specifically for menstrual pads and to propose recommendations for effective onsite incineration. Incinerators were identified using Internet searches, web forum posts, and key informant interviews. A custom coding form documented and summarized product characteristics. An estimate of the total cost of ownership (TCO) was computed. The ‘Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Quality’ framework was adapted to identify technology strengths and failures. This review identified 69 incinerators from 30 global manufacturers. Estimates of a 10-year TCO ranged from USD 153 to 149,900, with electricity being the largest driver of cost. Incinerators were found to largely lack safety features, such as emissions controls. This review provides key recommendations for a variety of stakeholders, including manufacturers, policymakers, regulators, researchers, and technical experts.

Use - clean - repeat: Understanding user, product, and context to design for long-term reuse

With escalating concerns about pollution and resource depletion caused by single-use products, the need to adopt reusable alternatives is widely acknowledged. This paper presents an investigation into the barriers and motivators to the long-term use of reusable products. The qualitative research consists of thirty-two semi-structured interviews with consumers, addressing the acquisition, usage, and discontinuation of the use of reusable products. From the results, we distinguished four product categories - intimate care, daily shopping, at home, and on the go - providing tailored insights into specific barriers. Next to this, we argue that willingness, ability, and routine are needed to increase the chances of successful long-term reuse. Based on these insights, we developed suggestions for designers including several design strategies and intervention points. We recommend incorporating the suggested product categories into future research, delving into persistent usage thresholds through case studies. Besides this, alternative reuse models should be further explored.

Use, reuse, and waste management of single-use products associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Single-use product usage is not a new concern. However, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use and disposal of single-use products, especially those related to managing the pandemic, rose to prominence. Reports of shortages-and at the same time litter formation arising from improper disposal of various pandemic-related materials such as gloves, masks, wipes, and food takeout containers-were frequently relayed. To address shortages, it was recommended that single-use products be reused in some instances. As these recommendations were widely adopted, it became essential to assess consumer preferences regarding single-use product usage. Aiming to fill that void, a survey was distributed to learn about single-use product usage, possible reuse of single-use products, and waste-management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Respondents preferred reusable fabric masks followed by disposable surgical masks. A significant percentage of respondents answered that they would reuse a disposable mask and mostly selected rotating masks as the preferred "disinfection" method in between the reuse of single-use masks. Gloves were not used by most respondents whereas wipes and/or paper towels were used by more than half of respondents. Free-response answers were analyzed for common themes. Concerns related to pandemic-related product use and disposal, and food packaging or food preparation were observed in the free-response answers. This survey reveals that respondents perceived changes in their consumption and waste generation or perceived a change in the type of products consumed and discarded due to the pandemic. Overall, respondents expressed a preference for reuse and a concern over the increase in single-use products. Results of this study can be used to make projections on the consumption and reuse of single-use products in crisis scenarios. In addition, the data can be used to model the use and disposal phase in single-use product life-cycle assessments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1736-1746. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Human behavior outcomes at point of disposal of a biodegradable plastic cup at a U.S.-based university campus

Human behavior outcomes at the point of waste disposal are a complex and often neglected area of life cycle assessment modeling of single-use products. To fill this data gap, waste audit data was collected from two campus facilities of a large research university located in the midwestern United States (U.S.). In these facilities, “compostable” plastic cups made of polylactic acid (PLA) are offered by vendors. Eight distinct waste audit trials were completed throughout the course of 15 months. Two different waste streams were sorted: recycling and landfill. This study considered all plastic cups, both PLA and non-PLA (PETE, PP, and PS). Observed disposal percentages in ‘correct’ bins were 67 % for PETE, 36 % for PP, 40 % for PS, and 52 % for PLA. Waste audit findings reveal that individuals likely do not know or do not act on what they know when disposing of PLA, PP, and PS cups in a U.S.-based campus location.

Single-use plastic or paper products? A dilemma that requires societal change

Plastic pollution has reached irreversible levels in both the terrestrial and marine environments affecting our planet’s fauna and human health. Plastic debris originating from single-use plastic products (such as bags, cups, straws, etc.) has been reported in every natural habitat around the globe, and their fragmentation to micro and nano-plastics poses high risks for every organism, including humans. Political pressure and awareness campaigns over the past decades have led governments and the industry to adopt legislative measures to ban the use of single-use plastics and seek alternative solutions. Hence, single-use paper cups, straws, lids, packages, etc. started infiltrating our daily routine, as the most promising alternative to plastic products. However, there has been increasing research in recent years showing that single-use paper products can be harmful to both the environment and human health. This work reviewed the ongoing research on the hazards associated with the use of single-use plastic and paper products to assess whether paper is a viable solution to plastic. The findings reported here show that single-use paper products might be extremely harmful to both the terrestrial, fresh, and marine environment, as well as human health and climate change. This is due to the release of toxic chemical compounds directly into the environment (as in many cases these products are not recyclable) and the food/beverage (due to their rapid mechanical/compositional failure), and the release of greenhouse gases, upon degradation. Moreover, this study discusses consumer behavior from research performed in several countries and discusses that most consumers exhibit environmental consciousness, but require better incentives to use multi-use products and turn away from single-use products. Overall, the most promising solution to mitigate pollution from single-use products is to combine the environmental consciousness of consumers with economic measures (taxes, levies) for purchasing single-use products to reduce their usage.

Circular Economy for Medical Devices: A Case Study of Syringes

Due to the growing demand for medical treatment resulting from an ageing population and advancements in medical devices and technology, the waste produced by the healthcare industry is rapidly increasing. While in many sectors, the shift to a circular economy has become more prevalent, in the healthcare sector, the linear cradle-to-grave model seems to still be a common approach despite growing concerns over the environmental burdens. Many devices are designed for single-use, often due to contamination concerns, limiting their potential for reuse. This paper considers the challenges associated with establishing a circular economy for medical devices, focusing on syringes as a representative single-use product. Through a series of material decontamination experiments, the potential for recycling of syringes has been assessed. These experiments have highlighted possible design improvements that would allow for a more streamlined end-of-life management. The findings from this research highlight the significant potential for both environmental preservation and healthcare efficiency through the circular use of medical devices.

Sources of nanoplastic and microplastic pollution which are hidden in plain sight

Abstract Plastic pollution is pervasive in our environment, with impacts seen across ecosystems and taxa. While plastic has become an integral part of our daily lives, not all of it is readily apparent, making it challenging to effectively reduce plastic pollution. A hidden source of plastic pollution is plastic-based printing, which is used on a wide range of items including single-use products like plastic food containers and multi-use plastic items like credit cards. This also includes items that we would not consider to be sources of plastic pollution such as glass bottles with surface printing. The widespread use of this printing, therefore, results in even non-plastic items contributing to plastic pollution, potentially contaminating recycling streams and exacerbating nano- and microplastic (NMP) dispersion. Given the challenges of remediating NMP plastic pollution once it has entered the environment, prevention becomes paramount. With significant efforts underway to reduce plastic production, it is important to take a holistic approach to redesigning objects and materials to avoid false solutions, which will continue to contribute to ecosystem degradation and planetary boundary transgressions. To make meaningful progress and avoid ineffective solutions, it is imperative to consider all sources of plastic pollution, including those concealed within apparently non-plastic objects.

The Functional and Biodegradation Characteristics of High-Density Poly-ethylene, Poly-caprolactone and Poly-ethylene Maleic Anhydride Composites

The goal of this research is to develop environmental friendly polymer composites in order to reduce the use of current polymers and promote global security. High density poly-ethylene (HDPE) and poly-caprolactone (PCL) composites were mixed with varying amounts of poly-ethylene joined maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as a strong compatibilizer. The different composites were prepared using the conventional infusion shaping approach. Mechanical properties were accounted for to have good increase for the diverse compositions and the strength and pliable strain% (stretching) rate at break were improved in comparison to unadulterated HDPE. Examining electron magnifying lens (SEM) morphology revealed that the expansion of PE-g-MA increased the compability and so aided in the achievement of a synergistic mix of superior qualities. The manure internment test yielded favorable bio-corruption results and demonstrated the fertilizer's ability to enable bio-debasement of various composites, allowing their utilization as key polymers in the assembly of single-use products and also protecting nature and acting as a decent waste administration of HDPE polymer.

Shortening the Supply Chain through Smart Manufacturing and Green Technology

Correcting inefficiencies in the supply chain requires us to reimagine manufacturing by recapturing processes—particularly material sourcing and end-use recycling, which create vast amounts of waste. Inefficiencies in the supply chain create massive waste and stifle innovation in manufacturing, both well-established concerns for the environment. Carbon-based fuels and products are detrimental to the land, air, and sea. Single-use products made from toxic materials flood the food and medical supply chains. Businesses are increasingly moving toward the single purchasing platform model (for example, Uber and Airbnb). Following that model, this paper proposes a platform as a service (PaaS) manufacturing sharing service that matches small- to mid-size manufacturers with production capacity as a solution to obtaining ethically sourced products at a competitive price while offering access to last-mile delivery locally on a single purchasing platform. The development of an Internet of Things (IoT) platform can achieve these four things: (1) provide better coordination of the sourcing and supply of materials, (2) ensure effective provisions of eco-friendly and recycled inputs, (3) provide efficient distribution of equipment and manufacturing resources, and (4) shorten the supply chain by centralizing and coordinating last-mile delivery.

A biobased binder of carboxymethyl cellulose, citric acid, chitosan and wheat gluten for nonwoven and paper

The amount of disposable nonwovens used today for different purposes have an impact on the plastic waste streams which is built up from several single-use products. A particular problem comes from nonwoven products with “hidden” plastic (such as cellulose mixed with synthetic fibers and/or plastic binders) where the consumers cannot see or expect plastic. We have here developed a sustainable binder based on natural components; wheat gluten (WG) and a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) made from chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose and citric acid which can be used with cellulosic fibers, creating a fully biobased nonwoven product. The binder formed a stable dispersion that improved the mechanical properties of a model nonwoven. With WG added, both the dry and the wet strength of the impregnated nonwoven increased. In dry-state, PEC increased the tensile index with >30 % (from 22.5 to 30 Nm/g), and with WG, with 60 % (to 36 Nm/g). The corresponding increase in the wet strength was 250 % (from 8 to 28 Nm/g) and 300 % (to 32 Nm/g). The increased strength was explained as an enrichment of covalent bonds (ester and amide bonds) established during curing at 170 °C, confirmed by DNP NMR and infrared spectroscopy.

Property improvement of a thermoplastic starch/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blown film by the addition of sodium nitrite

Recently, global awareness of the adverse environmental impacts of single-use plastics has risen due to their nonbiodegradability and likelihood of ending up in the ocean. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is an alternative material employed for manufacturing single-use products because of its high biodegradability, nontoxicity, and low cost. However, TPS is moisture sensitive and has poor mechanical properties and processability. Blending TPS with biodegradable polyesters, including poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), can expand its practical applications. This research aims to improve the performance of TPS/PBAT blends by adding sodium nitrite, a food additive, and considering its effect on the morphological characteristics and properties of TPS/PBAT blends. TPS/PBAT/sodium nitrite (TPS/PBAT/N) blends with a TPS:PBAT weight ratio of 40:60 and sodium nitrite concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 wt% were prepared by extrusion and then blown into films. The acids generated from the sodium nitrite during extrusion led to the molecular weight reduction of starch and PBAT polymers, causing the increased melt flow ability of the TPS/PBAT/N blends. The incorporation of sodium nitrite improved the blends' homogeneity and the compatibility between the TPS and PBAT phases, resulting in the increased tensile strength, extensibility, impact strength, and oxygen barrier properties of the TPS/PBAT blend film.

Refill at home for fast-moving consumer goods: Uncovering compliant and divergent consumer behaviour

Context and problemConsumers of fast-moving consumer goods have become accustomed to a culture of convenience and disposability, cultivating practices that are at odds with recycling, reusing, and reducing. Through the concept of refill, the fast-moving consumer goods industry is moving beyond the disposability and recyclability of packaging and products to consider longer term, more durable reuse solutions. If practised as intended, reuse has the capacity to lower the intensity of materials used compared to disposal or recycling. However, research on actual reuse behaviour is sparse, and new work is necessary to explore how consumers handle material resources in reuse offerings. MethodIn-depth interviews with 26 consumers were conducted where the behaviour chain method was used to elicit and map resource journeys for 48 refill at home cases. ResultsConsumers of refill at home offerings were found to display both compliant behaviour and a range of divergent resource handling behaviours, which either increased or decreased the impact of reuse. The behaviours were structured in a framework consisting of six reuse resource handling behaviour types and 17 sub-types, which operate alone or in combination. Whilst consumers displayed many instances of compliant behaviour, overall divergent behaviours were more common, like using multiple reusable products for the same purpose or using single-use products in parallel. Interestingly, consumers of refill at home offerings with a service engaged in compliant behaviour in the majority of the instances. Consumers were found to employ divergent behaviours even at the end of life, often recycling non-recyclable reusable components and occasionally disposing of recyclables in residual waste. ConclusionsThe resulting framework of resource handling behaviours provides a more nuanced understanding of reuse in practice than previously offered. The behaviour chain method was found to have the structural and analytical rigour to dissect difficult-to-predict and complex journeys.

The end of plastic? The EU’s directive on single-use plastics and its implementation in Poland

We are drowning in a sea of plastic. Not only do marine animals ingest or get entangled in (micro) plastic, but it also ends up in the food chain, including in humans. This plastic comes from mainly single-use products. “Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment” introduced numerous restrictions on their production. However, its effectiveness depends on national implementations that are delayed due to, inter alia, the objections of manufacturers. In this article, we present research conducted on Polish companies producing single-use plastic products, on sellers (retail outlets and food service establishments) and consumers. The results show that all study groups agree on the need to reduce the production of disposable plastics. The most frequently indicated solution is the introduction of reusable products to the market (in line with the circular economy notion), which would still be synthetic polymers. Manufacturers emphasize that promising chemical recycling technologies are emerging for all plastic waste. In addition, both consumers and producers are increasingly focused on products made of alternative materials, as consumers (especially from large cities) are increasingly averse to plastic in general, which was also pointed out by sellers. Consumers surveyed believe that the “Plastics Directive” is needed and blame the producers of disposable plastics for the condition of the environment, while manufacturers highlight irresponsible consumer behaviour and the need for more education in this regard.

Injection moulded composites from high biomass filled biodegradable plastic: Properties and performance evaluation for single-use applications

Biodegradable plastic-based items play an essential role in ensuring the sustainability of the food packaging industry due to their high biodegradability and minimized use of fossil fuels. The incorporation of low-cost waste biomass into bio-based polymers to produce biodegradable composites supports the circular economy model and reduces landfilling and carbon footprint challenges associated with petroleum-based plastics. This work discusses the utilization of waste almond shell powder (ASP) up to 50 wt.% with poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) to develop sustainable biocomposites through injection moulding for rigid packaging applications. At a lower angular frequency (0.1 s − 1), the complex viscosity of the PBSA/50%ASP biocomposite was reduced by ∼65% after adding 5 wt.% compatibilizer, as confirmed by a rheological analysis. The heat deflection temperature, flexural strength, and tensile and flexural moduli of the PBSA/50% ASP biocomposite with 5 wt.% compatibilizer were improved by ∼24, 125, 368, and 385%, respectively, compared to pristine PBSA. These improvements are attributed to the high stiffness and load-bearing capacity of ASP and the enhanced interfacial adhesion and particle dispersion caused by the compatibilizer, as corroborated by SEM analyses. Hence, the formulated biocomposites show a suitable structure-property-processing co-relationship for injection moulding of single-use products.

Performance Spectrum of Home-Compostable Biopolymer Fibers Compared to a Petrochemical Alternative

Manufacturers of technical polymers must increasingly consider the degradability of their products due to the growing public interest in topics such as greenhouse gas emissions and microplastic pollution. Biobased polymers are part of the solution, but they are still more expensive and less well characterized than conventional petrochemical polymers. Therefore, few biobased polymers with technical applications have reached the market. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the most widely-used industrial thermoplastic biopolymer and is mainly found in the areas of packaging and single-use products. It is classed as biodegradable but only breaks down efficiently above the glass transition temperature of ~60 °C, so it persists in the environment. Some commercially available biobased polymers can break down under normal environmental conditions, including polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and thermoplastic starch (TPS), but they are used far less than PLA. This article compares polypropylene, a petrochemical polymer and benchmark for technical applications, with the commercially available biobased polymers PBS, PBAT and TPS, all of which are home-compostable. The comparison considers processing (using the same spinning equipment to generate comparable data) and utilization. Draw ratios ranged from 29 to 83, with take-up speeds from 450 to 1000 m/min. PP achieved benchmark tenacities over 50 cN/tex with these settings, while PBS and PBAT achieved over 10cN/tex. By comparing the performance of biopolymers to petrochemical polymers in the same melt-spinning setting, it is easier to decide which polymer to use in a particular application. This study shows the possibility that home-compostable biopolymers are suitable for products with lower mechanical properties. Only spinning the materials on the same machine with the same settings produces comparable data. This research, therefore, fills the niche and provides comparable data. To our knowledge, this report is the first direct comparison of polypropylene and biobased polymers in the same spinning process with the same parameter settings.

A solution-based approach to reducing adult sanitary & PPE waste from rest homes in Aotearoa

Aim: This research project aims to explore solutions for minimising landfill contributions from incontinence and personal protective equipment (PPE) waste produced by rest home facilities (both care/support units and retirement villages) in Aotearoa.Research Question: What evidence-based solutions to decrease sanitary and PPE waste exist and can these be applied to rest homes in Aotearoa?
 Method: A narrative literature review was conducted surrounding PPE and sanitary waste minimisation, alongside interviews with industry representatives and waste experts, to ascertain the practicalities of such solutions in Aotearoa. A waste hierarchy for sanitary waste was created; highly recommended solutions were place at the top and least recommended at the bottom based on factors such as accessibility, environmental impact, and patient wellbeing.
 Results: The order of these solutions was (from top to bottom): pelvic floor muscle exercises, reusing, recycling, organic ecomposition, landfilling, and incineration. Fewer opportunities were available for waste minimisation of PPE; current alternatives to landfilling include companies such as Future Post (an organisation recycling face masks into functional fence posts). Developing technologies such as the disinfecting and recycling of PPE through Auckland University are emerging, although theyare not currently accessible for public contributions.
 Conclusion: For both sanitary and PPE waste, the requirement of such products should be minimised where possible (such as through awareness of hand hygiene (PPE) and pelvic floor muscle strength (sanitary waste)). If necessary, reusable rather than single-use products should be applied.
 Supervised by Ray O'Brien, Head of Sustainability, Sustainability Office, University of Otago and Arveen Horsefield, Arvida.Scholarship funded by: Arvida, Metlife Care, BUPA, Summerset, and Oceania Healthcare