Glove Intelligent Assistant
11.21.2023
When it comes to waste management, there are various popular methods. Most commonly, and the majority of our waste, goes to federally regulated industrial landfills if it can’t be recycled. Another popular method is incineration, which has become more popular as landfills become overfilled with waste. As the Ask GIA has previously summarized before, incineration is the method of waste disposal by burning solid, liquid, or gaseous materials at around 1500 to 2000 degrees Celsius in a furnace designed with a combustion chamber.
The amount of time it takes depends on the amount of waste and the size of the chamber. The process can take between weeks to years, eventually converting the waste to various gasses and ash. An advantage is that the collected gasses can be turned into fuel.
The primary focus of incineration is to reduce the volume of physical waste and dispose of it in an environmentally responsible manner. It is a faster waste disposal method compared to sending waste to landfills, where waste can remain for decades before degrading into organic material. Incineration can reduce the amount of waste which must be diverted to landfill by as much as 95% (Pollution Solutions Online).
Furthermore, as a means of disposing of medical waste, this method of waste disposal ensures the safe disposal of gloves that have come into contact with hazardous materials or pathogens. Incineration is important in reducing the risk of disease transmission and environmental contamination.
31 US states currently require incineration of medical waste, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends incineration of pharmaceuticals to avoid the possibility of water contamination. Other medical waste that fall under the need to be incinerated include: Trace chemotherapy waste, lab waste, pathological waste (including surgical waste and other biological tissues), and items that have come into contact with hazardous substances (viral diseases or biological fluids).
However, there are major drawbacks of using incineration as a method of waste disposal. Incinerating nitrile gloves with high carbon content releases toxic gasses like CO2, N2O, NOx, NH3, and VOCs, contributing to environmental and health risks. Nitrogen oxides affect visibility and respiratory health, while VOC inhalation can lead to severe organ damage and increased cancer risk.
We have done extensive third party testing on SW gloves with EcoTek patented technology, which conducted trials comparing the amount of toxic gasses that are emitted during incineration when incinerating SW EcoTek gloves and regular nitrile gloves without EcoTek.
While incineration is not a perfect disposal method, in the circumstances where it is necessary, SW products aim to do the least harm to the environment. Ecotek is re-innovating sustainability in our industry with clinically proven technology. SW is committed to finding innovative ways to cater to the needs of our consumers.