TRSA, Environ Energy Release New White Paper

TRSA and Environ Energy released a new white paper documenting the significant value of using hygienically clean reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare. The white paper, “Advancing the Adoption of Reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Healthcare,” catalogues key benefits hospitals and other healthcare facilities experience by relying on reusable PPE.

“America’s commercial laundry providers play a critical role in our healthcare delivery system,” said Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “Healthcare providers who make the switch to reusable PPE experience lower costs, stronger supply chains, a smaller environmental footprint, and enhanced patient and provider safety. We are excited to release this new white paper in partnership with Environ, which will help inform policymakers about the value of hygienically clean reusable PPE and also help facilitate more collaboration and education between our industry and the healthcare community.”

Jim Johnson, VP, strategic partnerships, at Environ Energy, added that, “For more than 30 years, Environ Energy has delivered innovative energy and sustainability solutions to hundreds of healthcare providers. Increased use of reusable PPE is a low cost, yet highly effective way to improve a facility’s sustainability by reducing solid waste, water consumption and energy usage.”

Key findings included in the new white paper include:

• Lower costs: Using laundered reusable isolation gowns – barrier garments worn by caregivers and visitors to avoid infection transmission from patients – saves 52% of the cost of opting for disposable equivalents.
• Supply chain resiliency: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine workshop findings underscore that reusable PPE can bolster emergency preparedness by creating a stable, domestic supply chain.
• Environmental sustainability: Reusable PPE uses 28% less energy and 41% less water than disposable counterparts.
• Enhanced safety and performance: A study in the American Journal of Infection Control determined reusable gowns consistently outperform disposables in liquid barrier protection.

The TRSA-Environ white paper also highlights several solutions to encourage more reusable PPE in healthcare, including legislation that sets a minimum threshold of 50% for reusable PPE, greater industry collaboration and education.

Click here to view the white paper.