Achieving circularity in healthcare

A/Prof Berto Pandolfo from UTS Faculty of Design and Society is the research lead on the Achieving Circularity project and said, “This project brought together a multidisciplinary team of academic, industry, and clinical partners across industrial design, materials science, medical supplies, healthcare operations and polymer processing, to develop solutions that are not only academically rigorous but also commercially, technically and clinically viable.” 

UTS researchers involved included; Assoc. Prof Stefan Lie, Roderick Walden, Anton Nemme and Prof Damien Giurco.

The challenge

Hospitals generate substantial amounts of waste, with public health services in New South Wales (NSW) alone producing approximately 52,400 tonnes annually.

A significant amount of this waste consists of single-use plastics, particularly non-woven polypropylene (NWPP), a material widely used in sterilisation wraps, surgical drapes, disposable gowns, and face masks.

While technically recyclable, most NWPP is incinerated or sent to landfills due to contamination concerns, regulatory requirements, and a lack of dedicated recycling infrastructure.

The Achieving Circularity project set out to address this challenge by developing a circular economy model for hospital plastics.

Creating a circular economy

The Achieving Circularity project brought together academic, industry, and clinical partners, including Multigate Medical Products, 180 Waste Group, Allmould Plastics, and the South Western Sydney Local Health District.

Their research aimed to:

• develop and pilot an NWPP recycling model for hospitals
• trial innovative recycling technologies, such as thermal compaction
• investigate material transformation pathways for recycled NWPP and
• co-design practical solutions with hospitals and industry partners.

The project group conducted research at Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital, following a design-led methodology that involved discovery, ideation, prototyping and evaluation phases.

Findings included:

• Significant volumes of recoverable NWPP exist in hospitals, especially from sterilisation wraps and disposable gowns.
• Waste segregation and infrastructure limitations are major barriers; clean NWPP is often mixed with clinical waste.
• Staff engagement and institutional support are essential for successful implementation. Leadership endorsement, targeted training, and clear policies improve outcomes.
• Thermal compaction processing is effective in converting NWPP into reusable material, suitable for manufacturing new hospital products.
• Closed-loop recycling is feasible. Recycled NWPP can be reintroduced into the hospital supply chain as non-clinical items, such as trays and bins, reducing both waste and costs.

The project group’s implementation strategy as outlined in the Achieving Circularity report focuses on refining waste segregation and collection systems, optimising logistical workflows for storage and transport, scaling up material reuse pathways and engaging stakeholders through training and behaviour-change strategies.

The Achieving Circularity project demonstrates that a circular economy approach to hospital plastic waste is both feasible and beneficial. By integrating design-led research, stakeholder engagement and innovative recycling technologies, the project provides a practical roadmap for reducing plastic waste, lowering costs and driving sustainability in healthcare environments.