PPE Recycling: How to Reduce Waste and Promote Worker Safety

Personal protective equipment (PPE) waste has long been an issue across the globe. In the wake of the pandemic, though, it’s become an even more pressing problem, with hundreds of thousands of pounds of PPE items, including masks and gloves, along with test kits, syringes, and other types of single-use equipment ending up in landfills.

Many single-use items, including PPE, must be used for health and safety purposes. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be thrown away and sent to a landfill. Recycling these items gives them new life and reduces medical waste and its contributions to climate change.

Learn how to reduce PPE waste with proper recycling methods below.  

Understanding the Importance of PPE Recycling

Recycling personal protective equipment is critical to protecting the planet now and in the future.  

For example, recycling reduces pollution and prevents materials from ending up in the world’s lakes, rivers, and oceans. It prevents landfill overflow, too, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (which have a direct impact on global warming).

Proper recycling also protects natural habitats (forests, rainforests, etc.) from being destroyed by foreign items.

Recycling Tips for Different Types of PPE

Some personal protective items cannot be recycled — for example, items that have been contaminated with bodily fluids are often not accepted by recycling centers. At the same time, there are many items that you can recycle.

Here are some of the most common types of PPE, with tips on how to recycle them correctly:

Disposable Face Masks

Organizations like TerraCycle and Reworked have created programs for collecting disposable masks and turning them into usable items (such as plastic furniture).

Reach out to an organization near you and talk to them about setting up a collection bin in your facility. Then, instruct employees to place used face masks in these bins.

The organization will handle pickup when the bin is full and take the leftover masks off your hands.

Cloth Face Masks

You can recycle cloth face masks with other textiles (wash them first to avoid spreading germs). Organizations like Earth911 make it easy for you to search for nearby recycling programs and figure out how to participate in them.

Disposable Gloves

Latex gloves are not recyclable, but they are biodegradable and compostable. Cut them up and add them to your compost bin to create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.

As for nitrile gloves, you can recycle them through programs like VWR Glove Recycling, Medline Glove Recycling, and Kimberly-Clark Glove Recycling. The exception is gloves that have been contaminated with hazardous waste. They should be disposed of according to hospital or clinic policies.

Plastic Face Shields

Many plastic face shields can be recycled in a traditional recycling bin (they will typically indicate on the package if they’re recyclable or not). If they have a foam strap or other non-plastic materials attached to them, though, be sure to remove those items before tossing the shield in the bin.

When purchasing shields in the future, double-check that the manufacturer makes recyclable products before making a final selection.

High-Visibility Clothing

If a position requires high-visibility clothing (for example, those who work in emergency services may wear high-visibility vests or jackets), you can recycle those high-vis clothes when they start to wear out.  

One option is to simply donate the items to a local charity so someone else can get additional use out of them. You can also cut them into strips and use them to make other items, such as backpacks, reflective.

If you no longer have a reason to keep a piece of reflective clothing and don’t want to repurpose it, you can also partner with organizations that shred old gear and repurpose materials to create new items.

Some of these companies will provide you with an envelope or resealable package that you can use to send your old high-visibility clothing to them for recycling.

Ensuring Worker Safety

Recycling is important, but your health and safety (and the health and safety of your colleagues, clients, patients, etc.) comes first. Never risk personal wellness for the sake of recycling.

Here are some tips that can help you stay safe and healthy while using and disposing of various pieces of personal protective equipment:

• Don’t reuse single-use items (face masks, gloves, gowns, etc.)
• Remove PPE promptly and place it in the proper receptacle
• Close the lid on the receptacle to prevent the spread of germs
• If PPE has been contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids, throw it in the trash (you may want to bag it separately as an additional precaution) instead of trying to recycle it
• Wash hands with hot water and soap after removing PPE

Simple strategies like these will increase worker safety while still ensuring you implement a successful recycling program.   

Educating and Engaging the Workforce

A vital aspect of successful PPE recycling is thorough and ongoing education. You must also make it easy and rewarding for employees to participate in recycling programs.

Regarding education, provide regular training courses to teach employees about the importance of PPE recycling and instruct them on how to do it properly. Display signs throughout the facility sharing step-by-step instructions, too, so people never have to guess before disposing of an item.

Furthermore, if you want employees to be engaged and willing to participate in a PPE recycling protocol, you must simplify the process. Set up dedicated recycling bins throughout the facility and label them clearly so people know where to find them and what they’re for.

You may also want to create an incentive program. For example, your team can earn some kind of reward when they recycle a certain number of pounds of PPE.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to choose between combating climate change and protecting your employees. You can have the best of both worlds by creating a recycling program for single-use pieces of personal protective equipment.

Follow the guidelines shared above to get your staff excited about recycling. Comment below, too, and share your ideas for recycling PPE!