As healthcare institutions grapple with the growing need for sustainability, plastic reduction emerges as a prominent focal point. Disinfectant wipes, though frequently overlooked, form a significant part of healthcare-related plastic waste. In a recent dialogue with Infection Control Today (ICT), Ecolab’s interdisciplinary team unveiled that these ubiquitous items account for nearly 58% of total plastic in disinfectant canisters and a staggering 94% in refillable bucket formats.
Such proportions translated into concrete terms mean that American healthcare facilities annually utilize enough plastic disinfecting wipes to encircle the globe 58 times. Interestingly, the majority of healthcare practitioners remain oblivious to this fact, with 81% of respondents at APIC’s ‘The Pitch’ in 2024 unaware of the plastic constitution of wipes. The realization of the magnitude of wipe usage in everyday practice generally sparks surprise and concern.
Ecolab chose to confront this issue head-on by developing plastic-free disinfectant wipes. Striving to mitigate this significant source of single-use plastic, they designed wipes using wood-pulp fibers, thereby eliminating any requirement for plastic in the wipes. Apart from the sheer environmental advantage of this initiative, the plastic-free Disinfectant 1 Wipe also presents performance and operational benefits.
Owing to its wood-pulp fiber constitution, the wipe demonstrates superior absorbency, resulting in better surface coverage. It has also been observed in case studies that these wipes lead to a significant decrease in total wipe usage, with a reduction of 36% and 60% respectively in settings using alcohol-based plastic wipes with 1-minute and 2-minute contact times. This directly translates to reduced waste, cost savings, and a minimized environmental footprint.
The overarching goal is to enable healthcare facilities to maintain high standards of infection prevention and safety, while simultaneously ensuring reduced single-use plastic waste.